Romance Scam Crypto ATM Cashout
Romance scammers direct victims to convert cash to Bitcoin at ATMs to send "emergency funds" or "investment deposits."
🚩 Red Flags
- ⚠Online romantic partner requests Bitcoin
- ⚠Directed to crypto ATM for "emergency"
- ⚠Never met in person
- ⚠Story about being stuck overseas
- ⚠Wallet address or QR code provided
- ⚠Multiple "emergencies" requiring crypto
🛡️ Protect Yourself
- →STOP: Never send crypto to someone you haven't met
- →RECOGNIZE: Romance + crypto ATM = scam
- →VIDEO CALL: Insist on live video before any money
- →TELL family/friends about the relationship
- →If you sent money: Stop all contact, report to FBI IC3
More Details
- “I can't access my bank from here”
- “Bitcoin is the fastest way to send money internationally”
- “Use the crypto ATM, I'll send you the wallet address”
- “This is for our future together”
- “I'll pay you back as soon as I'm home”
- “It's an investment in our crypto portfolio”
Common Questions
Bitcoin is irreversible and hard to trace. Once you deposit cash and send crypto, it's gone forever. No legitimate entity ever asks for this.
Never. The IRS, SSA, courts, and police do not accept cryptocurrency. This is 100% a scam.
This is a massive red flag. Scammers keep you on the phone to prevent you from thinking clearly or asking others for advice.
Tech support (39%), government impersonation (16%), and investment scams (6%) are the top three categories using crypto ATMs.
Report This Scam
If you've encountered this scam, report it to help protect others.
Warn Someone You Know
Know someone who might fall for this? Share this warning with them.
Related Scams
Online Romance Scam
Scammers build fake romantic relationships, then request money. FBI IC3: 17,910 complaints, $672M losses in 2024.
Pig Butchering Crypto Romance Scam
Romance + fake crypto investment. FBI IC3: 47,919 complaints, $6.57B losses in 2024 (44% increase). Named because scammers "fatten" victims before "slaughter."
Government Impersonator Crypto ATM Scam
Scammers pose as IRS, SSA, or law enforcement demanding payment via Bitcoin ATM. FBI IC3: $247M losses from crypto ATM fraud in 2024, up 99% from 2023.
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73% of Americans targeted(Pew, 2025)
|$470M lost to text scams in 2024(FTC)
|$16.6B total losses(FBI IC3, 2024)