How do I report a Bitcoin ATM scam?

Any unexpected tweet, text, email, call, or social media message — particularly from someone you don't know — asking you to pay them in advance for something, including with cryptocurrency, is a scam. If you spot something like this, tell the FTC right away at ReportFraud.ftc.gov .

How can I report a scammer to the FBI?

How to Report Crime and Fraud Submit an anonymous tip online. Report cyber scams and incidents. Contact your local FBI field office. Contact your nearest international office. Get more FBI contact information.

Can you get money back from Bitcoin ATM?

In the USA, you can generally withdraw up to $299 without undergoing KYC verification . You will have to undergo KYC identity verification for Bitcoin ATM withdrawal limits up to $125000. You might be able to withdraw more than this with an 'enhanced' KYC procedure, but this is rarely offered.

Can a Bitcoin ATM transaction be reversed?

All crypto transactions are final, meaning that you will not be able to reverse a transaction after it's completed .

Is it worth reporting a scammer?

It is generally best to file a police report on a scammer , reach out to your bank, and file a complaint with the appropriate federal agency as soon as possible after you have been scammed. To file a police report for a scam, you will need make a call to or visit the fraud division of your local police department.

Do banks refund scammed money?

If you paid by bank transfer or Direct Debit Contact your bank immediately to let them know what's happened and ask if you can get a refund. Most banks should reimburse you if you've transferred money to someone because of a scam .

How does the FBI contact you?

If they wanted to contact you, they would likely stop by and talk to you or call you and ask you to come to the FBI office near where you live . If there is a name of the Agent in the email, you can call your local FBI office and ask them to check to see if the person is a real FBI Agent.

Can I get my money back if I got scammed from Bitcoin?

Did you pay with cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency payments typically are not reversible. Once you pay with cryptocurrency, you can only get your money back if the person you paid sends it back . But contact the company you used to send the money and tell them it was a fraudulent transaction.

How to report a Bitcoin ATM?

Contact the Bitcoin ATM operator or the venue where the ATM is located to report the scam . Additionally, you can file a complaint with your local law enforcement and relevant regulatory authorities, although the chances of recovering your funds may be limited, as Bitcoin transactions are often irreversible.

Can you report a Bitcoin scammer?

If you believe you or someone you know may be a victim of a cryptocurrency scam, immediately submit a report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov or contact your local FBI Field Office and provide as much transaction information as possible.

How do I report an ATM scam?

If the machine doesn't give you money, or gives you an error message, call your financial institution and let them know . Report any problems. Only call a number you know is real, such as the one on the back of your bank card. Don't call a number posted on an ATM, because it can be a part of the scam.

FBI aids Ohio county to help stop scam victims from sending money via bitcoin ATMs (2024)

Quick Take

Scams through which the perpetrators trick victims into sending bitcoin payments via Bitcoin ATMs have attracted federal attention in the U.S.
The Block spoke with FBI Special Agent Vicki Anderson-Gregg to learn more about Cuyahoga County’s efforts to combat crime facilitated through Bitcoin ATMs.

FBI aids Ohio county to help stop scam victims from sending money via bitcoin ATMs (2)

The number of scams that involve would-be victims buying bitcoin has risen high enough in Cleveland’s Cuyahoga County that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has gotten involved.

The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs teamed up with the FBI to place signs around Bitcoin ATMs warning people about possible scams, such as someone claiming to need a bitcoin for an IRS payment, utility bills, or a law enforcement investigation.

“We have a very active financial crimes unit in Cleveland,” said Vicki Anderson-Gregg, Special Agent for the Cleveland Division of the FBI. “We joined a partnership with the County Scam Squad to put out this alert.”

Local reporting in Cleveland shows that, in one instance, a scammer pretended to be a victim’s son in need of bail money to pressure the victim into sending $9,000 in Bitcoin. But an observant clerk halted the situation before a transaction could take place. In another case, the scammer feigned being a Social Security Administration representative and claimed the victim's Social Security number was involved in drug trafficking, money laundering, or other illicit activity. The victim would then be urged to pay the scammer through a Bitcoin ATM to "resolve" the situation.

There are 212 Bitcoin ATMs in Cleveland, Ohio, according to the Bitcoin ATM tracking website CoinATMRadar. However, there are no exact number of crimes that have taken place to date that involve the use of a Bitcoin ATM.

“It is really difficult to capture numbers in regards to these types of scams, because people are embarrassed that they fell for it and don't report it,” the Special Agent told The Block. “We think it is much more significant than actually reported.”

While the statistics on Bitcoin ATM crime rates are sparse, the 2020 FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Internet Crime Report shows that there were 35,229 victims of virtual currency-related crime last year. The Cuyahoga County and FBI effort to educate people on scams and Bitcoin ATMs in an attempt to lower this number.

“We really want to get the word out so that people are not victims — it is extremely difficult, pretty much impossible, to retrieve the money once they have sent it,” Anderson-Gregg said.

Should someone fall victim to a financial scam the Special Agent advised they fill out an IC3 intake form. “Similar scams are grouped together and disseminated to the appropriate field office if it meets our threshold,” adds Anderson-Gregg.

One bad actor usually scams multiple people and can face charges of wire fraud, mail fraud, and “the typical white collar/financial crime charges" if they're caught, according to Anderson-Gregg.

About Author

MK Manoylov has been a reporter for The Block since 2020 — joining just before bitcoin surpassed $20,000 for the first time. Since then, MK has written nearly 1,000 articles for the publication, covering any and all crypto news but with a penchant toward NFT, metaverse, web3 gaming, funding, crime, hack and crypto ecosystem stories. MK holds a graduate degree from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program (SHERP) and has also covered health topics for WebMD and Insider. You can follow MK on X@MManoylovand onLinkedIn.

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