# What is a crypto ATM scam, and can you get your money back in your state?

Source: https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/  
Published: 2026-10-25  
Last updated: 2026-10-25  
By: J  
AI-assisted, human-reviewed by J (2026-10-24).

**Short answer:** A crypto ATM scam is a caller posing as your bank, tech support, government or police who has you withdraw cash and feed it into a Bitcoin kiosk with their QR code. No real agency asks for that. Already paid? Report it today: some states force refunds, with deadlines as short as 30 days. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk); [FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm))

**What this covers:** how crypto ATM scams work, the exact script callers use to send you to a Bitcoin kiosk, what the kiosk itself is required to warn you about, the FBI's 2025 loss figures, and a [state-by-state table of kiosk refund laws and deadlines](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#state-table) checked against each statute today. **Who it's for:** you, if someone just told you to withdraw cash and deposit it at a crypto ATM, or you're helping a parent who did. **What it isn't:** a recovery service or legal advice. No one can reverse a kiosk deposit for a fee, and we don't refer anyone to recovery firms or exchanges.

## Key facts

- In 2025 the FBI's IC3 received 13,460 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosks, with $388,981,267 in reported losses: complaints up 23% and losses up 58% from 2024. ([FBI IC3, May 15, 2026](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk))
- More than half of those kiosk complaints involved people over 50, with losses over $302 million. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk))
- In FTC reports from the first half of 2024, the median loss at a Bitcoin ATM was $10,000, and about 86% of people who lost money at one described a government impersonation, business impersonation or tech support scam. ([FTC, Sep 3, 2024](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm))
- AARP counts 35 states that have enacted crypto kiosk laws since 2023, 18 of them in 2026. Indiana banned the machines outright; its law was signed on March 9, 2026. ([AARP, Sep 14, 2026](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp); [Indiana General Assembly](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-indiana))
- In the eight states we verified, most refund deadlines are 30 days (Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Illinois for notifying the operator); Alabama allows 60 days, Iowa 90 days and Maine one year. ([table below](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#state-table))

## How does a crypto ATM scam work? The script, step by step

The details change, but the FBI, the FTC and state regulators describe the same sequence. If two or more of these steps are happening to you right now, stop and hang up.

1. **The hook.** A call, text or email about suspicious activity or unauthorized charges on your account, or a computer pop-up "security warning" that copies Microsoft or Apple and gives a number to call. Other versions: a fake deputy saying you missed jury duty or have a warrant, or a romance contact with an emergency. Phone calls were the first contact in about 47% of the FTC's Bitcoin ATM reports. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm); [Alabama Securities Commission](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-asc); [AARP](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp))
2. **The escalation.** Your money is "at risk," or your identity is "linked to money laundering." A second person joins as a "government agent," sometimes claiming to be from the FTC itself. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm))
3. **The fix: move the cash to "protect" it.** Scammers call the kiosk a "safety locker" or say a deposit will pay a bond or clear your name. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm); [AARP](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp))
4. **The bank run.** They tell you to withdraw cash, often a large amount, and coach you on what to say if the teller asks why. The FBI lists first-time large cash withdrawals, requests for large bills, and nervousness about the purpose as warning signs. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk))
5. **Stay on the phone.** They send you to a specific kiosk and keep you on the line so no one can talk you out of it. In one case AARP reported, two men posing as sheriff's deputies told a 71-year-old to stay on the phone while she fed close to $16,000 into a machine. ([AARP](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp); [FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm))
6. **The QR code.** They text you a QR code to scan at the machine. Once you scan it, your cash goes straight to their wallet. A QR code you didn't make yourself and can't explain is an FBI red flag. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm); [FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk))
7. **"Throw away the receipt."** Nebraska's banking department says that being coached to throw away your kiosk receipt is a red flag. The receipt is your evidence and, in many states, your path to a refund. ([Nebraska DBF](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ne-faq))

## What is the kiosk supposed to warn you about?

A crypto ATM is not a bank ATM. It turns your cash into cryptocurrency and sends it to a wallet address, and the only bank name you'll see is the one on the card you used to withdraw the cash. ([Nebraska DBF](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ne-faq)) States with kiosk laws make operators show a fraud warning on screen that you have to acknowledge before paying. Arizona's required warning says losses from fraud "are not recoverable" and lists impersonators who "threaten jail time" or "insist you withdraw money from your bank account to purchase virtual currency." ([A.R.S. § 6-1236](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-az)) Wisconsin also requires a printed "FRAUD ALERT!" on the front of each machine. ([Wisconsin Legislative Council](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-wi))

> "No legitimate law enforcement or government official will call to demand payment via a cryptocurrency kiosk."
> FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, [IC3 Cryptocurrency Kiosk Complaint Data By State](https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260515-2), May 15, 2026

If the kiosk operator calls you mid-transaction to say it looks like fraud, the FBI's advice is to stop or cancel the transaction. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk))

## Which states make crypto ATM operators refund scam victims?

These are the states whose refund rules we checked against the statute or a state agency page on 2026-10-25. The clock usually starts on the transaction date, so check yours today. The same table is on our [data page](https://pausebeforesend.com/data/#kiosk-refund-laws-by-state) as [CSV](https://pausebeforesend.com/data/kiosk-refund-laws-by-state.csv) and [JSON](https://pausebeforesend.com/data/kiosk-refund-laws-by-state.json).

| State | In effect since | Who gets a refund | Deadline | What you must do | Daily limit, new customer | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Alabama | 2026-10-01 | New customers (first transaction plus 30 days): full amount plus fees. Existing customers: half the transaction value, including fees. | 60 calendar days after the transaction | Contact the operator, a law enforcement agency *and* the Alabama Securities Commission; file a report with law enforcement or the Commission. | $1,000 ($10,000/month) | [ASC, Sep 30, 2026](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-asc) |
| Arizona | 2025-09-26 | New customers only (with that operator under 10 days): full amount plus fees. | 30 days after the transaction | Contact the operator and police or the Attorney General; give the operator a report from that agency finding you were defrauded. | $2,000 | [A.R.S. § 6-1236](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-az); [AZ AG](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-azag) |
| Illinois | 2025-08-18 | New customers (first 3 transactions or 7 days): full amount of up to 3 transactions. Existing customers: all fees and markup. | Tell the operator within 30 days; give it a report within 60 days | Notify the operator; submit a police or government agency report to the operator. | $2,500 | [205 ILCS 732/45](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-il) |
| Iowa | 2025-07-01 | New and existing customers: full amount. | 90 calendar days (new customers: after your last transaction in your first 30 days) | Report to the operator *and* a government or law enforcement agency; give the operator proof such as a police report or sworn declaration. | $1,000 | [Iowa AG](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ia) |
| Kansas | 2026-07-01 | First transaction and any within 14 days of it: full amount plus fees. Existing customers: fees only. | 30 calendar days after the last fraudulent transaction | Report to the State Bank Commissioner, Attorney General or police; give the operator a police report or sworn declaration. | $1,000 | [HB 2591 § 11](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ks) |
| Maine | 2025-06-12 | All transactions in your first 90 days with that operator: full amount plus charges. | 1 year after the last fraud-induced transaction | File a report with a government or law enforcement agency that includes a sworn statement and identifies the transactions. | $1,000 | [32 M.R.S. § 6169](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-me) |
| Nebraska | 2025-09-02 | New customers (within 14 days of the first transaction): full amount plus fees. Existing customers: fees only. | 30 days after the transaction | Contact the operator and a law enforcement or government agency (the regulator recommends the Department of Banking and Finance). | $2,000 | [Neb. Rev. Stat. § 8-3038](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ne); [NDBF](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ne-faq) |
| Wisconsin | 2026-04-10 | Any customer: full amount plus fees. | 30 days after the transaction | Contact the operator and the Department of Financial Institutions, the Department of Justice or a law enforcement agency. | $1,000 | [WI Leg. Council](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-wi) |

**How to read it.** "New customer" means new to *that operator*, so a kiosk run by a different company may treat you as new again. Maine's 90 days is the window of transactions covered, not the reporting deadline. Arizona is the strictest: the report you hand the operator has to come from police or the Attorney General and must find that you were defrauded. In Kansas you can also cancel a first transaction for any reason during its 72-hour hold. ([Maine](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-me); [Arizona](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-az); [Kansas](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ks))

**Not in the table.** AARP counts 35 states with kiosk laws, and third-party trackers list refund rules in about a dozen more states. We left those out because we couldn't check each statute on 2026-10-25, so a missing state doesn't mean it has no law; ask your state attorney general. Indiana has banned crypto kiosks (HEA 1116, signed 2026-03-09), so anyone sending you to one there is running a scam. ([AARP](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp); [Indiana General Assembly](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-indiana)) For Missouri's rules, see our [Kansas and Missouri page](https://pausebeforesend.com/scams/crypto-atm-scams-kansas-missouri-2025/#missouri-law).

## What should I do in the first hours after a crypto ATM scam?

1. **Stop and hang up.** Don't go back for "one more" deposit, and don't tell the caller you're reporting. Anyone who says a kiosk deposit will protect your money is a scammer. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm))
2. **Keep the receipt and photograph the kiosk.** Note the operator's name, the kiosk's location and the time. Save the QR code and every text. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk); [Nebraska DBF](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ne-faq))
3. **Call the kiosk operator** on the number printed on the machine or your receipt. Say it was fraud, ask for a refund under your state's law, and write down the date, time and the name of the person you spoke to. ([AZ AG](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-azag))
4. **File a police report** and ask for the report number. Most refund laws in the table need a police or agency report, or at least contact with one. ([table](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#state-table))
5. **Report to the agency your state names,** such as the Attorney General, Securities Commission or banking department, before the deadline in the table.
6. **File with the FBI at [ic3.gov](https://www.ic3.gov/)** with the transaction ID, the wallet address the money went to, the kiosk location, and the scammer's phone numbers, emails or aliases. ([FBI IC3](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ic3-kiosk)) Then report to [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/). Our [step-by-step reporting guide](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/how-to-report-crypto-scam/) has the full order and an evidence template.
7. **Ignore anyone who offers to get the money back for a fee.** That's the second scam. See [how crypto recovery scams work](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-recovery-scams/).

## How can I stop a parent from being sent to a crypto ATM?

Tell them the one rule: no real bank, company or government agency will ever tell them to withdraw cash and put it into a Bitcoin machine. The FTC says only scammers will tell you to do that. ([FTC](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-ftc-btm)) Agree on a family check-in: if anyone ever says "stay on the phone" or "don't tell anyone," they call you first. In the AARP case above, a call to her daughter is what stopped the deposits. ([AARP](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#src-aarp)) If they're 60 or older and it already happened, the National Elder Fraud Hotline is 833-372-8311 (see our [reporting guide](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/how-to-report-crypto-scam/)).

## Frequently asked questions

### Can you get money back from a crypto ATM scam?

Sometimes. Crypto kiosk transfers are normally irreversible, but some states now require operators to refund scam victims if they report in time. In the states we verified, most deadlines are 30 days; Alabama allows 60 days, Iowa 90 and Maine one year. Call the operator and file a police report right away.

### How long do I have to report a Bitcoin ATM scam for a refund?

It depends on your state and on whether you were a new customer of that kiosk operator. Arizona, Kansas, Nebraska and Wisconsin allow 30 days, Alabama 60 days and Iowa 90 days. Illinois requires notice to the operator within 30 days and a police report within 60. Maine allows a year to file a sworn report.

### Will the police or the government ever ask me to pay with a crypto ATM?

No. The FBI says no legitimate law enforcement or government official will call to demand payment through a cryptocurrency kiosk. The FTC says anyone who tells you to use a Bitcoin ATM to protect your money or fix a problem is a scammer.

### Why do crypto ATM scammers send a QR code?

The QR code holds the scammer's wallet address. When you scan it at the kiosk, the cash you insert is converted to cryptocurrency and sent straight to them. The FBI lists carrying a QR code you can't explain or didn't make yourself as a warning sign.

### Should I pay a company that says it can recover my crypto ATM money?

No. Refunds under state kiosk laws come from the kiosk operator after you report to it and to police or a state agency, at no cost. Recovery firms that charge upfront fees are a common follow-up scam; report the original loss at ic3.gov instead.

## What to do next

**If someone told you to deposit cash at a Bitcoin ATM:** stop, hang up, and call your bank using the number on your card. Already sent it? Report the kiosk transaction to the operator, your local police, [ic3.gov](https://www.ic3.gov/) and [ReportFraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/) today, then check your state's refund deadline in the [table above](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/crypto-atm-scams/#state-table) or on our [data page](https://pausebeforesend.com/data/#kiosk-refund-laws-by-state). Full steps: [how to report a crypto scam](https://pausebeforesend.com/blog/how-to-report-crypto-scam/).

Get one crypto scam warning a week from Pause Before Send: [join the newsletter](https://pausebeforesend.com/newsletter/).

No affiliate links, exchange referrals or recovery-service referrals on this page, by policy. State law summaries are not legal advice; check the linked statute or agency page before you act.

## Sources

1. FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, "IC3 Cryptocurrency Kiosk Complaint Data By State" (I-051526-PSA), 2026-05-15. [ic3.gov](https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA260515-2) (accessed 2026-10-25)
2. Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Protection Data Spotlight, "Bitcoin ATMs: A payment portal for scammers," 2024-09-03. [ftc.gov](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/data-visualizations/data-spotlight/2024/09/bitcoin-atms-payment-portal-scammers) (accessed 2026-10-25)
3. AARP, "States Take Aim at Crypto ATM Fraud," updated 2026-09-14. [aarp.org](https://www.aarp.org/advocacy/crypto-atm-fraud-protections/) (accessed 2026-10-25)
4. Indiana General Assembly, House Bill 1116 (2026), "Virtual currency kiosks," signed by the Governor 2026-03-09 (Public Law 143). [iga.in.gov](https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2026/bills/house/1116) (accessed 2026-10-25)
5. Alabama Securities Commission, "Cryptocurrency Kiosk Fraud Prevention Act Takes Effect on October 1, 2026," 2026-09-30. [asc.alabama.gov](https://asc.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Cryptocurrency_Kiosk_Fraud_Prevention_Act.pdf) (accessed 2026-10-25); enrolled text: [HB 303](https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/SearchableInstruments/2026RS/HB303-enr.pdf)
6. Arizona Revised Statutes § 6-1236 (HB 2387, Laws 2025 ch. 171, approved 2025-05-12). [azleg.gov](https://www.azleg.gov/ars/6/01236.htm) (accessed 2026-10-25)
7. Arizona Attorney General, "Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud" (undated; describes the law in effect 2025-09-26). [azag.gov](https://www.azag.gov/consumer/topics/crypto) (accessed 2026-10-25)
8. Illinois Compiled Statutes, 205 ILCS 732 (Digital Asset Kiosks Act, P.A. 104-429, eff. 2025-08-18), §§ 10, 25, 45. [ilga.gov](https://www.ilga.gov/Legislation/ILCS/Articles?ActID=4633&Chapter=FINANCIAL+REGULATION&ChapterID=20&MajorTopic=REGULATION&Print=True) (accessed 2026-10-25)
9. Iowa Attorney General, "Crypto ATM Law: Full FAQ and Legal Requirements" (Iowa Code § 533C.1004, in effect 2025-07-01). [iowaattorneygeneral.gov](https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/cryptoatmreporting/crypto-atm-faq) (accessed 2026-10-25)
10. Kansas Secretary of State, 2026 Session Laws, Chapter 102 (HB 2591), § 11, published 2026-04-30. [sos.ks.gov](https://sos.ks.gov/publications/sessionlaws/2026/Chapter-102-HB-2591.html) (accessed 2026-10-25)
11. Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32 § 6169 (P.L. 2025, ch. 285, effective 2025-06-12 per the [Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection](https://www.maine.gov/pfr/consumercredit/laws_rules/laws.html)). [legislature.maine.gov](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec6169.html) (accessed 2026-10-25)
12. Nebraska Revised Statute § 8-3038. [nebraskalegislature.gov](https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=8-3038) (accessed 2026-10-25)
13. Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance, "FAQs: Nebraska's Cryptocurrency ATM Law" (LB 609, effective 2025-09-02). [ndbf.nebraska.gov](https://ndbf.nebraska.gov/sites/default/files/doc/FAQs%20Nebraska's%20Cryptocurrency%20ATM%20Law.pdf) (accessed 2026-10-25)
14. Wisconsin Legislative Council, Act Memo, "2025 Wisconsin Act 226: Virtual Currency Kiosks," 2026-04-10. [docs.legis.wisconsin.gov](https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related/lcactmemo/act226.pdf) (accessed 2026-10-25)

## Changelog

- 2026-10-25: First published. Every state row checked against the statute or a state agency page the same day.