Report it
Where to report a crypto ATM scam
Three reports every time, then one more to the agency the scammer pretended to be, and one about the phone number that started it.
Report every crypto ATM scam to your local police, to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov, and call the operator on your receipt. Then report to the agency the scammer impersonated, such as Social Security’s inspector general or TIGTA for the IRS. If you are 60 or older, the National Elder Fraud Hotline, 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), will help you do it.
Checked and updated by Byte Federal’s fraud-prevention team. How we check facts.
Every time: these three
And the crypto ATM operator, first of all: its number is on the kiosk and your receipt. Operator phone numbers.
Your local police
File a report and get a report number. Several state laws require one. In an emergency, or if you are being threatened, call 911.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reports are shared with over 2,000 law enforcement agencies. The FTC can’t resolve individual reports. In Spanish: ReporteFraude.ftc.gov.
Phone: 877-382-4357FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
File a complaint even if you didn’t lose money. The IC3 passes complaints to law enforcement; it doesn’t report back on each case.
Have this ready
- The kiosk receipt, or a photo of it.
- The transaction ID (TXID or “hash”) and the wallet address the money went to.
- The kiosk’s location, the date and time, the amount and the type of crypto.
- Every phone number, email address, website, name and app the scammer used.
- A short description, in your own words, of what happened and in what order.
- Your police report number, once you have it.
This is the list the FBI asks for in crypto kiosk cases. Write it down while you remember it.
Get help reporting
Then, depending on the scam
They pretended to be from Social Security
Social Security Office of the Inspector General. Report Social Security impersonation scams.
They pretended to be from the IRS or the Treasury
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Report IRS and Treasury impersonation.
A fake investment or trading platform
Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) · 866-366-2382. Report crypto and commodity investment fraud.
A fake investment offer
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Report securities and investment fraud.
They got your Social Security number, ID or account details
IdentityTheft.gov (FTC). Report identity theft and get a step-by-step recovery plan.
It started with a phone call or a text
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Consumer Complaint Center. Report unwanted, spoofed and scam calls and texts. Forward a scam text to 7726 (“SPAM”) so your carrier can look into the sender.
Every case, to your state
Your state attorney general. Consumer protection complaints; attorneys general can act against scammers and businesses in your state.
Someone the person knows is exploiting them
Adult Protective Services. Find the APS office in your state to report financial exploitation of an older or disabled adult.
Questions people ask
Will reporting get my money back?
Not by itself. The FTC and the IC3 don’t resolve individual cases. But reports are how investigators connect cases, block wallets and sometimes recover funds. And in states whose law makes the operator reimburse scam losses, the claim usually depends on a police or agency report filed within a deadline.
Should I report the phone number that called me?
Yes. The call is where the crime started. Report the number and the time of the call to the FTC with the rest of your report, file a complaint with the FCC, and forward scam texts to 7726. Then stop the next call: scammers call back.
Should I report even though I am embarrassed, or the amount was small?
Yes. The FBI asks people to file even when no money was lost. Small reports add up to the patterns that lead to arrests.
Someone from “the FTC” or “the FBI” called me about my report. Is that real?
Be very careful. Scammers pose as these agencies, especially after a loss. Agencies don’t ask victims for fees or for payment in crypto. Hang up and call the agency on a number from its official website.
Sources for this page
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov · Report fraud; reports are shared with over 2,000 law enforcers.
- FBI: Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) · File an internet crime complaint, including crypto ATM scams.
- FBI public service announcement I-051526-PSA: Cryptocurrency kiosk complaint data by state (May 15, 2026) · “No legitimate law enforcement or government official will call to demand payment via a cryptocurrency kiosk.” What to give the FBI: TXID, wallet address, kiosk location.
- FBI: Cryptocurrency (IC3 crime information page) · File a complaint even without a loss; give addresses, amounts, transaction hashes, dates and times.
- FTC: What to know about cryptocurrency and scams · Where to report crypto scams: the FTC, the CFTC, the SEC, the FBI and the company used to send the money.
- FCC Consumer Complaint Center · File a complaint about unwanted, robocall and spoofed calls and texts.
- FTC: How to recognize and report spam text messages · Forward a spam text to 7726 (SPAM) to help your wireless provider spot and block similar messages.
- Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General: report a scam · Report calls from people pretending to be from Social Security.
- Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration: report IRS impersonation · Report people impersonating the IRS or the Treasury.
- Commodity Futures Trading Commission: submit a tip or complaint · Report fake crypto trading and investment platforms; 866-366-2382.
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission: tips, complaints and referrals · Report fraudulent investment offers.
- FTC: IdentityTheft.gov · Report identity theft and get a recovery plan.
- National Association of Attorneys General: find your attorney general · Every state attorney general’s office.
- National Adult Protective Services Association: find your state’s APS · Report suspected financial exploitation of an older adult.
- U.S. Department of Justice: National Elder Fraud Hotline · 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311), Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, for fraud against anyone 60 or older.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline · 877-908-3360, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET; guidance and support, not investigation.
- Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living) · 1-800-677-1116; local services for older adults and families.
Every source was opened and checked on November 8, 2026. Laws and agency figures change; if you find something out of date, write to hello@cryptoatmscam.com and we will correct it.
Cite this page
Crypto ATM Scam Help. “Where to report a crypto ATM scam, agency by agency.” Updated November 8, 2026. https://cryptoatmscam.com/report/