Americans lost nearly $389 million to cryptocurrency ATM scams during 2025, according to newly released state-level data from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The bureau received 13,460 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosks last year — a 23% increase in complaints and a staggering 58% surge in reported losses compared to 2024.
The scams typically begin with a phone call, email, text message or social media contact in which fraudsters impersonate government agencies, law enforcement, tech support, utility companies or financial institutions. Victims are falsely told they face legal trouble, owe back taxes or must resolve an urgent account issue and are instructed to withdraw cash, visit a nearby crypto ATM, and send the funds as cryptocurrency to a wallet controlled by the criminals. Once the irreversible blockchain transaction is completed, recovering the money is extremely difficult.
Older Americans remain the primary targets. More than half of all complaints came from victims aged 50 or older, who collectively reported losses exceeding $302 million — nearly 80% of the total. Texas alone recorded $56.8 million in losses, affecting an estimated 1,200 residents, as scammers exploited the state’s high density of crypto ATMs and an aging population.
The FBI stressed that crypto kiosks themselves are not illegal, but organized crime groups increasingly exploit them because transactions are fast, irreversible and widely accessible. Warning signs that law enforcement is training kiosk operators to recognize include customers arriving after unsolicited calls, carrying QR codes they cannot explain, withdrawing unusually large sums for the first time, or remaining on mobile phones during transactions.
Regulators in several states have begun tightening oversight, proposing measures such as transaction limits, fraud warning screens and consumer disclosure requirements. The FBI and Federal Trade Commission continue urging the public: no legitimate government agency or company will ever demand payment via cryptocurrency. If you receive such a call, hang up and report it to local law enforcement and the FTC.
