Crypto Kiosk (Bitcoin ATM) Scams
Category
Crypto and Investment
Affects
Residents
Status
Active
Source
Nevada Attorney General
Scammers call, text, or email with an urgent story, then direct victims to feed cash into a cryptocurrency kiosk at a gas station or convenience store. The Nevada Attorney General warned in June 2026 that the money is nearly impossible to trace or recover, and that older adults are hit hardest.
How it works
- Contact arrives as an unexpected call, text, email, or pop-up, often posing as a relative, a bank, a government agency, or a company you know.
- The story creates fear and urgency: a hacked account, an arrest warrant, a grandchild in trouble, or a problem with your Social Security number.
- You are told to withdraw cash and deposit it into a crypto kiosk, then scan a QR code or type a wallet address the scammer gives you.
Red flags
- Anyone who asks you to pay with a crypto kiosk. No real agency, utility, or bank will.
- You are told to stay on the phone, keep it secret, or lie to bank tellers or family.
- A scan-this-code or type-this-address instruction from a caller.
What to do
- Stop. Hang up and call a family member or your bank on a number you already have.
- If you already deposited money, contact the kiosk operator immediately (the phone number is on the machine), then report to police, the FTC, and the FBI IC3.
- Report the kiosk and the scam to the Nevada Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Already paid or shared information? See the step-by-step checklist and the list of places to report. You can also report to the FTC or the FBI IC3.
Does your group want a short talk on scams? Request a free community talk.
Posted solely for community awareness. This is not an official government or law enforcement notice, and High Sierra Cyber is not affiliated with any agency named here. Board last updated October 10, 2026. Details, phone numbers, and policies change, so confirm with the official agency before acting. Submitted reports are unverified. General information only, not legal or financial advice.