What should I do if I was scammed at a crypto ATM?

No government agency, bank or business will ask you to pay with a crypto ATM. Contact the kiosk operator, local police and the FBI at ic3.gov right away, and check the source above for any state refund rule.

Home / Crypto ATM laws / California

California crypto ATM (bitcoin kiosk) law

Q: Does California limit crypto ATMs?

Daily limits / fee caps. Up to $1,000 a day per customer (Fin. Code § 3902). Fees capped at the greater of $5 or 15% (§ 3904). Pre-transaction disclosures and receipts required. (source: dfpi.ca.gov, checked 2026-11-04).

Status: Daily limits / fee caps

Up to $1,000 a day per customer (Fin. Code § 3902). Fees capped at the greater of $5 or 15% (§ 3904). Pre-transaction disclosures and receipts required.

Source: dfpi.ca.gov (Fin. Code §§ 3902, 3904) · checked 2026-10-19

Transaction limits vs. scam rules

Transaction limits
Daily limit	$1,000/day per customer
New-customer limit	Same $1,000/day
Refund rule	Unknown (not confirmed in an official source)
Scam rules
Warnings required	Pre-transaction disclosures and receipts required
Fee cap	Greater of $5 or 15%
Refund rights	Unknown (not confirmed in an official source)

Source for this table: dfpi.ca.gov, Fin. Code §§ 3902, 3904; checked 2026-10-19. "Unknown" means we couldn't confirm it in the official source, not that no rule exists.

Crypto ATM scam losses in California

In 2025, people in California filed 978 complaints with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) involving crypto kiosks, reporting $24,017,535 in losses.

Nationally: 13,460 complaints and $388.98 million in losses.

Source: FBI IC3, Cryptocurrency Kiosk Complaint Data By State (May 15, 2026). IC3 notes these complaints may also include other transaction types, so not all losses are from kiosks alone. Checked 2026-10-22.

Scammed at a crypto ATM? Do this now →

New crypto law this month (October 2026)

No new state crypto law found this month (checked 2026-10-22).

Scam warning: no government agency, bank or business will ever ask you to pay with a crypto ATM. If someone does, it's a scam. Report it to local police and the FBI at ic3.gov.

More for California

Not legal advice. Laws change; check the linked source.

Get a weekly email when apps change where they work

One short note when an exchange enters or leaves a state. Free, unsubscribe anytime.

Subscribe free →