Bitcoin ATM Scams and Seniors: Why a Caller Wants You at a Crypto Kiosk

A Bitcoin ATM scam is a call in which someone posing as a bank, agency or company tells you to withdraw cash and feed it into a cryptocurrency kiosk, often while they stay on the phone. No legitimate business or government agency asks for payment this way. The FBI reports that people 60 and older lost $257.5 million through crypto kiosks in 2025.

What happened

On September 8, 2025, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia sued Athena Bitcoin, a crypto ATM operator.

The lawsuit cites the company’s own data from its first five months operating in D.C.:

• 93% of deposits came directly from scams.
• The median victim was 71 years old.
• The median loss per transaction was $8,000.
• One victim lost $98,000 over 19 transactions.

The lawsuit also alleges that the company charged undisclosed fees of up to 26% and had a no-refund policy. These are allegations in a lawsuit, not court findings.

Separately, the FBI reported in a May 2026 public service announcement that in 2025, complainants aged 60 and older lost $257.5 million through crypto kiosks, across 6,188 complaints.

How the call went

The specific calls behind each deposit are not described in the lawsuit. But the warning signs reported in these scams show how a typical call goes:

• The caller tells you to withdraw cash and stays on the line while you do.
• The caller names a specific kiosk and tells you where to go.
• The caller coaches you on what to say if the bank teller asks questions.
• The caller sends a QR code to scan at the kiosk, which sends the money to the scammer.

The single victim who lost $98,000 made 19 separate transactions, a sign of how often scammers come back for more.

Red flags

• A caller who stays on the phone while you go to the bank.
• A caller who sends you a QR code.
• A caller who names a crypto kiosk and tells you to go there.
• Being coached on what to tell the bank teller.
• Any request to pay a bill, fine or “protection” fee in cryptocurrency.

What would have stopped it

• One firm rule: no legitimate business or agency asks for payment through a Bitcoin ATM.
• Hanging up and calling the bank or agency on a number you look up yourself.
• Telling the teller the truth. Bank staff can help if you say a caller told you to withdraw the money.
• Calling a family member before going to any kiosk.

If this happens to your family

• Stop any further deposits. Scammers often ask for more.
• Report the payment at ic3.gov and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Keep the kiosk receipts.
• Contact the kiosk operator using the number printed on the machine or receipt.
• Call your bank on the number on the back of your card.
• Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm ET. Scammers sometimes pretend to be this hotline, so dial the number yourself.
• Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360.
• Be wary of anyone who offers to recover crypto losses for a fee.

Crypto kiosk scams start with a phone call and depend on the caller staying on the line. FamilyDefender checks unknown calls as they happen and can warn the parent and alert family when a call looks risky.