Arizona AG Warns Residents: Crypto ATM Scams Are Surging

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a statewide scam alert on Monday, warning residents that crypto ATM fraud has become a mounting threat after Arizonans lost over $177 million to these schemes in 2024.

Her office simultaneously launched a new fraud complaint form, enabling victims to report losses within 30 days of being scammed.

The warning comes as a broad crackdown on crypto kiosk fraud intensifies across the United States and beyond, with the FBI reporting a 99% surge in complaints and over $246 million in total losses in 2024.

From lawsuits against major operators to sweeping federal legislation, the industry is under fire as lawmakers race to protect vulnerable consumers.

Arizona’s New Laws Target Crypto Kiosk Fraud

Scammers typically reach victims through unsolicited calls or texts, impersonating banks, law enforcement, or loved ones before pressuring them to deposit cash into one of Arizona’s roughly 600 crypto ATMs.

Once funds enter a kiosk, they are nearly impossible to recover. Scottsdale police alone have already reported $5 million in losses this year.

“Fraudsters are increasingly using bitcoin ATMs to victimize Arizonans — scammers stole more than $170 million from Arizonans last year using these crypto kiosks,” Mayes stated, adding that “If you’re being directed to use one, there’s a very very high chance you’re being scammed.“

The state has also partnered with Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes to place physical “STOP” signs on Bitcoin ATMs across the state.

Beyond warnings, Arizona’s Crypto Kiosk License Fraud Prevention law, effective since September 2025, caps daily transactions at $2,000 for new customers and $10,500 for existing users.

Operators must now issue full refunds to fraud victims who file a police report within 30 days.

At that time, Governor Hobbs also signed HB 2749 to create a state Bitcoin reserve funded entirely by unclaimed digital assets

Lawsuits and Indictments Shake the Industry

While Arizona tightens consumer safeguards, legal battles are escalating elsewhere against some of the sector’s biggest players.

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Brian Schwalb sued Athena Bitcoin after an investigation revealed that 93% of the company’s deposits during its first five months in the district were directly tied to scams, with a median victim age of 71, and that one resident lost $98,000 across 19 transactions.

The company allegedly charged undisclosed fees of up to 26% while enforcing a strict no-refunds policy on fraud victims.

“Athena knows that its machines are being used primarily by scammers yet chooses to look the other way so that it can continue to pocket sizable hidden transaction fees,” Schwalb declared.

The Athena case is far from isolated. Federal prosecutors in Chicago separately indicted Firas Isa, CEO of Crypto Dispensers, on money-laundering conspiracy charges after his network allegedly processed $10 million in fraud and drug proceeds.

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg joined the pressure, urging New York lawmakers to criminalize unlicensed crypto operations and warning of a “$51 billion criminal economy,” declaring that “If you are operating a crypto business, you should be licensed.“

States and Nations Race to Close Regulatory Gaps

These enforcement actions have spurred legislative responses at every level of government.

Senator Dick Durbin’s Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act, introduced as Bill S. 710, would mandate Treasury registration, fraud warnings, transaction caps, and victim refunds nationwide, while Wisconsin legislators have also introduced parallel bills targeting the state’s 582 kiosks with $1,000 daily caps and strict identity checks.

International regulators are moving in the same direction, with New Zealand imposing an outright ban on crypto ATMs under anti-money laundering reforms and Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke declaring, “Be in no doubt, crypto ATMs are a high-risk product,” after AUSTRAC found 85% of top kiosk users’ funds were linked to scams.

Similarly, Spokane, Washington, also became the first U.S. city to ban the machines entirely after federal probes revealed widespread fraud.

Amid the tightening, industry activity is not entirely stalled. Washington state ordered Coinme to halt operations and repay $8 million after regulators found it had illegally converted unredeemed customer funds into corporate revenue, yet Polygon is reportedly eyeing an acquisition of the firm for $100 to $125 million.

Bitcoin Bancorp also recently announced plans to deploy 200 new ATMs across Texas, where over 4,000 kiosks already operate under one of the nation’s clearest regulatory frameworks.