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The FBI warns that scammers use fear, false intimacy or a promised prize to steer people into buying cryptocurrency at a physical kiosk and sending it to the scammer’s wallet. A QR code may fill in the recipient address, but scanning a code alone does not steal cryptocurrency: the risk is being pressured to approve a payment to an address you have not independently verified. Stop, verify claims through a trusted channel and do not send crypto to someone you have only met online.
How cryptocurrency ATM and QR code scams work
The FBI’s November 4, 2021 public service announcement describes scams built around social engineering. A scammer creates a convincing reason to move money, then stays in contact and coaches the target through the payment, sometimes step by step.
Impersonation and false emergencies
A scammer may claim to represent a government agency, law enforcement, a legal office or a utility. The story may involve an urgent threat or demand that the target protect or transfer money. The target may be told to withdraw money from a financial account, buy cryptocurrency at a physical ATM or kiosk, and scan a supplied QR code.
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In a romance scam, the fraudster builds a false relationship and a sense of dependency before asking for money. An established-feeling online relationship does not make a request for cryptocurrency safe. Do not send crypto to someone you have only spoken with online.
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Fake prizes and fees
A lottery or prize scam claims you have won but must pay fees before receiving the prize. A demand to buy cryptocurrency and send it through a kiosk is a warning sign, not a legitimate way to unlock winnings.
What the QR code does—and what it does not do
A QR code can encode a cryptocurrency wallet address. At a kiosk, scanning it may auto-populate the recipient field, making it easier to send funds to the address the scammer supplied. The code is a convenient way to enter payment details; the danger is approving a transfer to the wrong recipient under pressure. QR codes also have legitimate uses, so the presence of a code alone does not prove a scam.
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- Tap once to manage your entire crypto wallet across 90 blockchains - no USB cables or Bluetooth, no batteries, no setup. Access 14,100+ coins & tokens, DeFi, NFTs, and staking instantly from your phone
- Smart backup: Use your second Tangem Wallet as your Backup keys with end‑to‑end encryption; no more papers, pictures. If one card is lost, the remaining can still restore full access, with an optional seed phrase available for advanced users.
- Engineered to last up to 25 years: Waterproof (IP69K), shockproof and tested for extreme temperatures from −25°C to 50°C. A durable cold wallet with long‑term protection and independently audited security.
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Before confirming any cryptocurrency transfer, check who will receive it and why. If someone you do not know is directing you to a kiosk or telling you which QR code to scan, stop rather than following their instructions. The FBI’s guidance is: “Do not follow instructions from someone you have never met to scan a QR code and send payment via a physical cryptocurrency ATM.”
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In a May 15, 2026 release covering calendar year 2025, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported 13,460 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosk use and $388,981,267 in adjusted losses reported in those complaints. The FBI said complaint volume rose 23% and losses rose 58% from 2024. More than half of the complaints involved people over 50, with losses exceeding $302 million. The FBI’s 2025 Annual Report rounds the national figures to 13,460 complaints and $389 million in losses.
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These figures describe complaints involving kiosk use, not a precise estimate of losses caused by kiosks alone. The FBI says a complaint may involve other transaction types, and IC3 statistics are point-in-time assessments that may change after further analysis or new information. The FBI’s May 15, 2026 release explains that limitation in its kiosk data supplement; national totals are also in the 2025 IC3 Annual Report.
How to avoid being pressured into a kiosk payment
- End unverified contact. If a caller claims to represent a company where you hold an account, hang up and contact the organization through a phone number or channel you already know is legitimate. Do not rely on contact details supplied by the caller.
- Do not pay an online acquaintance. Refuse requests from people you have only met online to send cryptocurrency, even if the relationship feels established.
- Do not follow a stranger’s kiosk instructions. Do not scan a QR code or buy and send crypto because an unfamiliar person is guiding you through it.
- Stop when something feels wrong. If a kiosk operator warns that a transaction may be fraud, stop or cancel it.
What to do if you already sent cryptocurrency
- Stop further payments. Do not send more money to someone claiming it is needed to release, reverse or recover the first payment.
- Keep records. Save kiosk receipts, transaction documentation, messages, emails, phone numbers, website or app details, and any names or aliases used. Record the cryptocurrency type and amount, wallet address, transaction hash or ID, date and time, kiosk location and a timeline of events when available.
- Report the incident to IC3. File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and include the information you have. The FBI says to report even if you do not have transaction details. Its victim-reporting guidance lists useful details to provide.
- Beware of recovery offers. The FBI warns that people promising to recover funds may be running another scam. Do not pay a supposed recovery service based on a promise that your cryptocurrency will be returned.
Can cryptocurrency sent to a scammer be recovered?
Recovery is difficult, but the FBI’s warning is not a claim that every transfer is necessarily impossible to recover. A recipient may take ownership immediately and move funds onward, which can make recovery hard. Preserve the transaction details and report promptly; do not treat a recovery promise as proof that funds can be returned.
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