Someone contacted you first
The conversation began with an unexpected call, message, pop-up, direct message, or online relationship.
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If someone unexpectedly tells you to withdraw cash, use a Bitcoin ATM, scan a QR code they supplied, or keep the transaction secret, stop. Those are classic scam signals.
This guide explains how Bitcoin ATM scams work, the warning signs to recognize, and the steps to take before or after money is sent.
Do not withdraw cash, scan a code, download remote-access software, or follow payment instructions from an unexpected caller or message. End the contact and independently reach the real bank, company, or agency through an official number or website you find yourself.
The pattern
The machine is not the person creating the lie. The scam usually begins somewhere else: a call, text, email, social-media message, dating conversation, job offer, or computer pop-up. The criminal then uses fear, urgency, affection, or promised profit to control what the victim does next.
The FBI reported 13,460 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosks and $388,981,267 in adjusted reported losses during 2025. More than half of those complaints involved people over 50. The FBI notes that a complaint can include other transaction types, so the reported loss total is not solely attributable to kiosks.
Source: FBI IC3 Cryptocurrency Kiosk Complaint Data by State, May 15, 2026.
The message may claim your bank account, computer, identity, taxes, utilities, or loved one is in immediate danger.
The person says you must act now, stay on the phone, avoid telling anyone, or ignore warnings from a bank employee, cashier, or kiosk operator.
You are told to take cash from a bank, retirement account, investment account, or another source and bring it to a specific kiosk.
The scammer supplies a wallet address or QR code. Scanning it can direct the purchased cryptocurrency to an address the scammer controls.
Know the signals
One sign is enough to pause. Several signs together should make you end the contact and verify the story independently.
The conversation began with an unexpected call, message, pop-up, direct message, or online relationship.
They claim a transfer will protect your funds, stop fraud, clear a warrant, pay a fine, or fix a computer or account problem.
They tell you not to speak with family, your bank, a cashier, police, or the kiosk operator, or insist that delay will make the situation worse.
They direct every step, tell you what to say, split deposits into smaller amounts, or coach you around warnings.
A code is only a way to encode information. If someone else supplied it, the destination may be a wallet they control.
They want you to install screen-sharing software, reveal a one-time code, or let them control your phone or computer.
They promise a risk-free investment, a special return, or guaranteed recovery of money already lost in exchange for another payment.
Before money moves
You do not need to prove that the caller is a criminal before stopping. You only need enough uncertainty to delay the payment and verify the facts.
The critical question is who initiated and controls the transaction. If another person unexpectedly directs you to move money to a wallet they supplied, stop. A purchase should be your decision, for a purpose you understand, using a destination you verified and control.
Your next move
The goal is not to argue with the caller. The goal is to break their control of the situation and return to information you can verify.
Do not withdraw cash, scan a code, send cryptocurrency, buy gift cards, share a verification code, or install remote-access software. End the call or conversation.
Use the phone number on your bank card, a statement, or an official government or company website. Do not use a number or link supplied by the person who contacted you.
Tell someone you trust. If account access may be exposed, contact the affected financial institution and secure the account from a device the caller did not control.
Bitcoin POP is a separate retail cash-loading process: a customer generates a barcode, a participating retailer processes the cash load, the Crypto Dispensers USD balance is credited after the cash-loading transaction completes, and any Bitcoin purchase happens separately through the customer's account. Retailers do not sell Bitcoin through this flow.
Act quickly
Recovery is not guaranteed, and cryptocurrency transfers can be difficult to reverse. Acting quickly can still preserve evidence, alert the businesses involved, and help investigators connect related complaints.
Do not send another payment for taxes, release fees, account repair, or recovery. Block the scammer after preserving the evidence.
Use the support information printed on the machine or receipt. Explain that the transaction may involve fraud and ask what information the operator needs. Do not assume the transaction can be reversed.
If cash came from an account or the scammer had access to your device or credentials, use an official phone number and explain what happened.
Keep the receipt, kiosk location, date and time, transaction ID, destination wallet address, phone numbers, emails, usernames, screenshots, and a written timeline.
File reports with ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Contact local law enforcement when appropriate.
Criminals may contact victims again and claim they can recover cryptocurrency for an upfront fee. Verify any recovery claim independently and do not send more money because someone promises a guaranteed result.
Common questions
Use these answers to slow down a suspicious request and choose a safer next step.
No. A cryptocurrency kiosk can be used for a self-directed transaction. The danger is when another person unexpectedly pressures you to use one, supplies the destination address or QR code, demands secrecy, or claims the payment will protect money or fix an emergency.
No legitimate government agency or reputable financial institution will tell you to move money through a crypto ATM to protect it. End the contact and call the organization through a verified official number.
Not by default. A QR code can contain a wallet address. If someone else created or supplied the code, it may direct cryptocurrency to a wallet they control. Verify the complete destination independently before sending anything.
Save the receipt, kiosk operator and location, date and time, transaction ID, destination wallet address, phone numbers, emails, usernames, messages, screenshots, and a written description of what happened.
Recovery is not guaranteed and may be difficult. Contact the kiosk operator, your financial institution, and law enforcement quickly, preserve the evidence, and be cautious of anyone promising guaranteed recovery for an upfront fee.
Continue safely
Review fake support, urgent-payment, wallet-address, giveaway, and investment scam patterns.
Read the Bitcoin scams guideVerify the seller, payment route, wallet, quote, and final destination before a purchase.
Open the safe-buying checklistLearn what a Bitcoin wallet address does and why destination control matters.
Read the Bitcoin wallet guidePrivacy controls
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