Manchester Store Staff Stop Crypto Scams Targeting Seniors, Police Say

MANCHESTER, NH — Police in the Queen City are commending the owner and employees of Varney Street Quick Stop after three senior citizens were stopped from losing a combined $17,000 to cryptocurrency scams.

Police said the incidents happened on three occasions in July, when the seniors entered the store with cash they planned to deposit into a cryptocurrency ATM. Employees recognized signs the transactions could be tied to scams. Workers warned the customers and contacted police.

Officers responded and confirmed that all three seniors were being victimized, Heather Hamel, a public information officer for the department, said.

Police said the store's response followed an earlier conversation between Manchester Police Fraud Detective Ray Lamy and the store owner about scams targeting seniors. Lamy contacted the owner before the July incidents to discuss the issue. The owner then educated staff members and promised to step in when customers appeared to be at risk.

Manchester police are now encouraging other businesses with cryptocurrency ATMs, money-transfer services or gift card displays to train employees to identify suspicious activity. Police said workers should spot and pause questionable transactions and contact police when they believe a senior is being victimized. Police also pointed to a reporting requirement under state law. Under New Hampshire law, anyone who honestly suspects that a vulnerable adult is being financially exploited must report it to the New Hampshire Bureau of Adult and Aging Services.

The department's public praise for Varney Street Quick Stop also carried a broader message for local businesses: Employee awareness can interrupt a scam before the money is gone.

Hamel said the department asked businesses to stay alert and report concerns when they believe an older customer may be under pressure to send money through a cryptocurrency ATM or similar service.