Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
Cryptocurrency kiosks—often called crypto ATMs—convert cash into digital currency and typically look like traditional ATMs. While they serve a legitimate purpose, scammers are increasingly using them as a fast and hard-to-trace method to steal money from unsuspecting victims.
These scams often start with urgent messages from someone impersonating a trusted source—pressuring victims to withdraw cash and deposit it into a nearby crypto ATM. Once the money is converted to cryptocurrency, it’s nearly impossible to trace or recover.
Because most people aren’t familiar with how crypto ATMs work, scammers exploit the confusion to their advantage. If you receive a message from someone claiming to be from a company you trust, don’t respond—verify by logging into your account directly or calling the number on a recent paper statement. And remember: if anyone ever tells you to use a crypto ATM to resolve an emergency, it’s a scam.
Stay one step ahead of scammers with the AARP Fraud Watch Network™. If you think you’re being targeted, call the free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with a trained fraud specialist who can guide you on what to do next.
