The crypto ATM scam
A caller or text tells you to take out cash and feed it into a bitcoin ATM to "protect" it. The money goes straight to the scammer.1
Text Message
Today 9:41 AM
Fraud Department: your account is compromised. To protect your savings,1 withdraw $4,000 in cash today2 and deposit it at the bitcoin ATM on Main Street.
Scan this QR code at the machine.3 Stay on the phone with me while you do it.4
- A story about protecting your money. The FTC says scammers claim a cash deposit will protect it or fix a made-up problem.1
- Cash, now. "Never withdraw cash in response to an unexpected call or message."1
- A QR code sent to you. The cash you deposit goes right into the scammer's wallet.1
- Someone talking you through it. The FBI lists people on the phone and confused at a kiosk as a sign of this scam.2
What to do Stop. Look up your bank's number yourself and call it, and talk to someone you trust first.1
Rebuilt from FTC and FBI descriptions; the amount, wording and number are made up. Checked 4 November 2026 against the sources.
How the kiosk step works
In 2025 the FBI got 13,460 complaints involving crypto kiosks, with losses of $388,981,267. Complaints rose 23% and losses 58% on 2024.2
- The problem.A call, text, email or message out of the blue. The caller may pose as the government, police, a law office, a utility or a company, or as someone you know.2
- The cash.Detailed instructions on how to take cash out of your bank, often in large bills.2
- The kiosk.Where to find a machine, and how to deposit the cash and send it.2
- The code.A QR code texted to you to scan at the machine, so the money lands in the scammer's wallet.1
The 10 states with the largest losses in 2025
From the FBI's kiosk complaints by state. Losses may include other payments made in the same scam.2
| State | Complaints | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,179 | $56,802,197 |
| Florida | 1,213 | $32,765,444 |
| California | 978 | $24,017,535 |
| Illinois | 510 | $20,077,277 |
| New Jersey | 369 | $17,873,478 |
| Tennessee | 348 | $15,024,261 |
| Arizona | 460 | $14,530,436 |
| Pennsylvania | 518 | $14,485,236 |
| Kentucky | 179 | $12,697,193 |
| North Carolina | 491 | $12,616,653 |
Who asks for crypto
If you already sent money
- Keep the kiosk receipt and any transaction record.2
- Contact the ATM operator or crypto exchange right away, tell them it was fraud and ask them to reverse the transaction.4
- File a police report, then a complaint at ic3.gov with the transaction ID, the wallet address, the kiosk's location and the scammer's details.2
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.4 Where to report each kind of scam
Questions people ask
Can I get money back from a bitcoin ATM?
It can be hard: crypto doesn't have the legal protections that credit and debit cards have. Contact the ATM operator right away and ask for a reversal.4
The kiosk company called to stop me. Is that real?
The FBI says that if the kiosk operator calls to say your transactions look like fraud and to stop sending money, you should stop or cancel the transaction.2
Are bitcoin ATMs themselves a scam?
No. They're ATM-like machines that exchange cash and crypto. The FBI says criminals may direct victims to send money through them.2
A government agent told me to use one.
That's a scam. No real official will demand payment through a crypto kiosk.2 The Social Security version
More scam examples
Sources 4
- Bitcoin ATMs: A payment portal for scammers (3 September 2024), Federal Trade Commission, Data Spotlight. Read 4 November 2026.
- IC3 Cryptocurrency Kiosk Complaint Data By State (I-051526-PSA, 15 May 2026), FBI IC3. Read 4 November 2026.
- 2025 Internet Crime Report, "Cryptocurrency Fraud Trends", FBI IC3. Read 4 November 2026.
- What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026), Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Read 4 November 2026.
Every example is rebuilt from an official alert and made safe, and every source shows the day we read it. How we check