West Burlington police have charged two men with using fake phones made of cardboard and paper to scam an EcoATM kiosk inside a local Walmart out of nearly $7,000. Police Chief Jesse Logan said Jacob Johnson and Damone Manning completed 89 fraudulent transactions that dispensed a total of $6,792 in cash. The pair also attempted the same scam 46 additional times, but the machine rejected those deposits. An EcoATM is an automated kiosk that accepts old electronics and pays customers on the spot based on the deviceโ€™s assessed value. Investigators determined the fake phones were crafted to mimic the size, shape, and appearance of real cellphones so the machineโ€™s AI system would accept them. Both men face charges that include second-degree theft and ongoing criminal conduct. Authorities believe additional people may have taken part in the scheme.

The investigation began after an EcoATM employee reported suspicious activity involving the West Burlington Walmart kiosk. Between April and May, the machine repeatedly accepted the counterfeit devices and paid out cash. Police recovered dozens of the fake phones, which included three-dimensional cardboard models and printed images mounted on Styrofoam or cardboard. Johnson and Manning allegedly used other peopleโ€™s identification in some cases to bypass limits on how many sales one person could complete. Logan noted that the total amount stolen and the number of successful transactions demonstrate a sustained effort rather than isolated attempts. Both suspects are being held in the Des Moines County Jail. The case remains open as investigators continue looking into whether more individuals participated in the fraud.