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Scammed at a crypto ATM? Do this now

In 2025 the FBI received 13,460 complaints involving crypto kiosks, with $388.98 million in losses (FBI IC3, May 15, 2026). If it happened to you, act fast. These steps come from official sources, linked at each step.

1. 1. Stop sending money

   Stop all contact and don't make another deposit, whatever the caller says. The FBI says no legitimate law enforcement or government official will call to demand payment through a crypto kiosk, and if the kiosk operator calls to warn you a transaction looks like fraud, you should stop or cancel it (FBI IC3).

2. 2. Call your local police

   File a police report with your local police department. The FBI asks kiosk-scam victims to do this in addition to filing with IC3 (FBI IC3). Ask for the report number; operators and state refund rules often need it.

3. 3. File a complaint at ic3.gov

   File at www.ic3.gov. Type the address yourself. The FBI asks you to include, if you have it (FBI IC3):

   • The transaction ID (TXID)
   • The wallet address the money was sent to
   • The location of the crypto kiosk
   • Anything about the scammer: phone numbers, email addresses, websites, names they used
   • A description of the scam

   Keep every receipt and transaction record from the kiosk; the FBI says to hold on to them (FBI IC3).

4. 4. Contact the kiosk operator and check your state's refund rule

   Call the operator's support line (it's usually printed on the kiosk and your receipt), report the fraud and ask what refund it offers. Some states now require refunds for fraud victims who report within a deadline. States on our list with a confirmed refund rule: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin. See crypto ATM laws in every state we've checked for the rest.

5. 5. Watch out for recovery scams

   Scammers target people who already lost money, promising to get it back for a fee. In 2025 the FBI logged 10,516 recovery-scam complaints with $1.4 billion in losses, a figure that may include the original scam (FBI IC3 2025 Internet Crime Report, p. 54). The FBI says IC3 will never contact you by phone, email or social media, and will never ask for payment to recover funds or refer you to a company that charges for it (FBI IC3, Scammers Impersonating the IC3).

6. 6. Keep records for taxes

   Save your receipts, police report, IC3 confirmation and any operator emails. The IRS treats virtual currency as property, and the tax code requires you to keep records sufficient to support what you report on your return (IRS virtual currency FAQ). Whether a scam loss is deductible depends on your situation; ask a tax professional. See also crypto tax by state.

Crypto held on an exchange that got hacked? See what to do if your crypto exchange got hit.

Last checked: October 22, 2026. Sources: FBI IC3 kiosk PSA (May 15, 2026), FBI IC3 2025 annual report, FBI IC3 impersonation PSA, IRS. Not legal, tax or financial advice.