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Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill to implement consumer protections and license requirements for the cryptocurrency industry, and they're taking public testimony on it today.

AARP Nebraska is among the groups working to get the word out about an uptick in cryptocurrency scams.

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Gift card and phishing scams are nothing new to Nebraska seniors.

But now, Jina Ragland - the associate state director for AARP Nebraska - said they're learning of more cases of criminals coercing people into depositing money into cryptocurrency ATM's, also known as crypto kiosks.

"They can be found really anywhere that you frequent," said Ragland, "places such as supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, bars, and even restaurants. They look like a bank ATM, but they actually allow people to conduct cryptocurrency transactions, such as sending money through a digital wallet."

Nebraska lawmakers hold a hearing today on Legislative Bill 609, to tighten rules on cryptocurrency kiosks - which, until now, have been loosely regulated.

AARP Nebraska has long fought to educate seniors about a variety of scams, from gift cards and government impersonators to robocalls.

But Ragland said cryptocurrency cons are relatively new and can be a lot more insidious.

"Once the money's gone, it's very hard to track it back," said Ragland, "where the money is and actually recovering it. We're just hearing more and more situations where thousands of dollars are being put into these machines and being sent off - and then, when they try to track back and recoup that, they're not able to do it."

Ragland said people are often embarrassed by falling victim to a scam, but she noted it can happen to anyone.

She said reporting these crimes is key to stopping them, and suggests notifying the police and contacting the AARP Fraud Watch Network.