Spokane的Crypto ATM鎮壓：保護當地人還是缺少商標？

華盛頓的斯波坎，禁止加密騙局，這是由於騙局的上升問題。這是保護弱勢居民的正確舉措，還是過度的舉動？

Spokane, Washington, has taken a bold step by banning crypto ATMs, aiming to shield its residents from rampant fraud. But is this ban a slam dunk solution, or could it be overkill? Let's dive into the heart of Spokane's crypto ATM conundrum.

華盛頓斯波坎（Spokane）通過禁止加密貨幣（Crypto ATM）邁出了大膽的一步，旨在保護其居民免受猖ramp的欺詐行為。但是這個禁令是扣籃解決方案，還是過度殺傷？讓我們深入研究斯波坎的加密atm atm難題。

Spokane Pulls the Plug on Crypto ATMs

斯波坎在加密貨幣上拉插頭

Back in June 2022, Spokane City Council made history by unanimously voting to prohibit crypto ATMs, becoming the first city in Washington to specifically target these machines. Fueled by rising reports of scams linked to these kiosks, the city enacted the Virtual Currency Kiosk Prohibition Toward a Safer Spokane ordinance. The FBI reported staggering losses of $5.6 billion due to crypto ATM scams nationwide in 2023, with Washington residents losing over $141 million. Spokane saw a surge in victims losing thousands through these kiosks, often located in gas stations and convenience stores. Within 60 days of the vote, operators were required to remove approximately 50 kiosks or face penalties.

早在2022年6月，斯波坎市議會通過一致投票通過禁止加密自動櫃員的歷史，成為華盛頓的第一個專門針對這些機器的城市。隨著與這些售貨亭相關的騙局的報導不斷增加的報導，該市頒布了虛擬貨幣售貨亭禁令，以解決一項更安全的斯波坎法令。聯邦調查局（FBI）報告說，由於2023年全國的加密自動櫃員機騙局，巨大的損失為56億美元，華盛頓居民虧損超過1.41億美元。斯波坎看到受害者的激增通過這些售貨亭，通常位於加油站和便利店。在投票後的60天內，運營商被要求刪除大約50個售貨亭或面對罰款。

The Rationale Behind the Ban

禁令背後的理由

City officials, like Council Member Paul Dillon, emphasized the protective intent behind the ban, aiming to safeguard vulnerable groups, especially low-income individuals and the elderly, who are prime targets for scams. Scammers often impersonate government officials, coercing victims into making payments through these ATMs to avoid fabricated penalties. Detective Tim Schwering of the Spokane Police Department highlighted that the money is often funneled to countries where it's nearly impossible to trace, like China, North Korea, or Russia. In 2024, the FBI reported nearly 11,000 complaints and $246 million in losses from crypto ATM scams, with the elderly accounting for two-thirds of the victims.

像理事會成員保羅·狄龍（Paul Dillon）這樣的市政官員強調了禁令背後的保護意圖，旨在保護弱勢群體，尤其是低收入個人和老年人，這是騙局的主要目標。詐騙者經常冒充政府官員，脅迫受害者通過這些自動取款機進行付款，以避免被捏造的處罰。斯波坎警察局的偵探蒂姆·施溫（Tim Schwering）強調，這筆錢經常被匯入幾乎不可能追踪的國家，例如中國，朝鮮或俄羅斯。 2024年，聯邦調查局（FBI）報告了近11,000份投訴和2.46億美元的損失，來自加密貨幣ATM騙局，老年人佔受害者的三分之二。

A Nationwide Trend?

全國趨勢？

Spokane's ban aligns with increasing regulatory scrutiny of crypto ATMs across the U.S. Other regions, like Wisconsin, have implemented guidelines to restrict transactions and boost oversight. Even Australia has set a A$5,000 limit on cash transactions to combat fraud. Spokane's outright prohibition could set a precedent for other municipalities grappling with similar issues.

斯波坎的禁令與在美國其他地區（例如威斯康星州）對加密自動櫃員機的監管審查越來越多，已實施了限制交易和促進監督的指南。甚至澳大利亞也設定了5,000美元的現金交易限額來對抗欺詐。斯波坎的徹底禁令可能會為其他城市遇到類似問題的其他市政當局樹立先例。

Unanswered Questions and Potential Overreach

未解決的問題和潛在的過度

While the intent is clear, questions remain about the ban's scope and effectiveness. Will it extend to pre-existing ATMs that primarily handle fiat currency but also offer crypto functionality? Will disabling the crypto features suffice, or will complete removal be required? Moreover, the city's police department is tasked with monitoring the ban's impact on local crypto crime. This data collection will be crucial in determining whether crypto ATMs are truly significant conduits for criminal activity or merely scapegoats. Councilman Zack Zappone stressed the urgency, stating, "These machines are used to victimize vulnerable communities, resulting in substantial financial losses."

儘管意圖很明確，但有關禁令的範圍和有效性仍然存在的問題。它會擴展到主要處理法定貨幣但也提供加密功能的預先存在的自動取款機嗎？禁用加密功能就足夠了，還是需要完全刪除？此外，該市警察局的任務是監控禁令對當地加密犯罪的影響。該數據收集對於確定加密ATM是犯罪活動還是僅僅是替罪羊的真正重要管道至關重要。議員扎克·扎波恩（Zack Zappone）強調了緊迫性，並指出：“這些機器被用來傷害弱勢社區，從而造成了巨大的財務損失。”

My Take: A Balancing Act

我的看法：平衡行為

Spokane's move is understandable given the alarming rise in crypto scams. Protecting vulnerable residents is paramount. However, an outright ban might be a blunt instrument. A more nuanced approach, focusing on stricter regulations, enhanced monitoring, and public awareness campaigns, could potentially strike a better balance between safeguarding citizens and allowing access to legitimate crypto services. For example, implementing mandatory ID verification for all crypto ATM transactions, similar to Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations in traditional finance, could deter scammers. Partnering with local community organizations to educate vulnerable populations about common crypto scams could also be a proactive measure.

鑑於加密騙局令人震驚，斯波坎的舉動是可以理解的。保護弱勢居民至關重要。但是，徹底的禁令可能是鈍器。一種更細微的方法，重點是更嚴格的法規，增強的監控和公眾意識運動，可能會在維護公民和允許獲得合法的加密服務之間取得更好的平衡。例如，針對所有加密自動櫃員機交易實施強制性ID驗證，類似於了解傳統金融中的客戶（KYC）法規，可能會阻止騙子。與當地社區組織合作，教育脆弱的人群有關常見的加密騙局也可能是一個積極的措施。

The Future of Crypto in Spokane

斯波坎的加密未來

Whether Spokane's ban proves to be a game-changer or an overreaction remains to be seen. The data collected by the Spokane Police Department will be critical in assessing its true impact. In the meantime, if you're in Spokane and looking to dabble in crypto, you might have to dust off your laptop and embrace the online exchanges – at least for now. Who knows, maybe this will lead to even safer, more innovative ways to access the crypto world. Stay tuned, folks, because the crypto roller coaster never stops!

斯波坎的禁令是否被證明是改變遊戲規則的人還是過度反應，還有待觀察。斯波坎警察局收集的數據對於評估其真正影響至關重要。同時，如果您在斯波坎（Spokane）並希望涉足加密貨幣，那麼至少目前，您可能不得不將筆記本電腦除塵並擁抱在線交流。誰知道，也許這將導致更安全，更具創新性的方式來訪問加密貨幣世界。伙計們，請繼續關注，因為加密過山車永遠不會停止！