Beth’s case shows scammers exploiting urgency and fear, pressuring purchases of gift cards, and ultimately prompting her to alert authorities after a long, coercive interaction.

Experts warn about red flags such as insistence that you cannot hang up, secrecy, sole reliance on an unknown caller, and urgent, unusual money requests.

Crypto ATM scams are rising, with the FBI reporting Americans lost more than $388 million to such scams in 2025, a 58% jump from 2024.

Wisconsin data reveal crypto ATM scams caused over $43 million in losses in 2024, marking a 99% increase in cases within a year and signaling a growing threat.

Investigators stress the importance of reporting scams promptly to aid tracking, fund recovery, and disruption of perpetrators.

Criminals use cryptocurrency kiosks in public venues to funnel cash payments that are hard to reverse, often after a convincing scam call or remote instructions.

A Wisconsin woman, Beth, describes being lured by a fake fraud investigator over the phone, withdrawing cash, and depositing it into a bitcoin machine before recognizing the scam and seeking help.

Protection tips include refusing unknown calls, not transferring money or buying gift cards under pressure, and verifying claims with trusted sources before acting.