Crypto ATMs in Australia turn scam hotspots

Crypto ATMs in Australia are officially under the microscope, and what regulators found is less “future of finance” and more “scammers are on the way.” In a nationwide sting operation, Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) identified 90 top crypto ATM users, and they weren’t whales or tech nerds. 

The report mentions that these users were mostly scam victims, money mules, and a handful of unwitting offenders unknowingly funneling dirty money through those flashing digital booths. This comes in when US states are tightening rules on crypto ATMs to curb rising scams, as these machines are often used by fraudsters, which allows easy cash-to-crypto conversion.

Crypto ATMs turn scam hotspots

The investigation, led by AUSTRAC and backed by federal and state police, has revealed that the majority of high-value crypto ATM transactions across the country were linked to scams. This involves romance scams, investment scams, and frauds done on the basis of different promises.

As per the report, one woman in her 70s lost over $430,000 after getting duped by a combo of fake love and fake gains. However, there is no way of recovering the looted money. 

The task force tracked another woman in her 70s who sent $200K to a “trading firm” that vanished faster than your trust in the internet. The lady got conned after seeing what she thought was a legitimate advertisement about a firm that gave her hopes of massive returns.

AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas didn’t mince words and stated that “We suspected that a large volume of crypto ATM transactions were probably illicit, but almost all the transactions we looked into were victims, not villains.” 

The reality is bleak as these machines, which were once seen as futuristic gateways into the crypto economy, are now being hijacked as tools in emotionally manipulative heists that leave victims broke and helpless.

Cash-to-crypto scams soar

The Australian watchdog has already dropped the hammer by introducing tighter regulations. This included a $5,000 cap on ATM transactions, mandatory scam warnings, enhanced ID checks, and better surveillance. Thomas advised that if one is considering using a crypto ATM and someone else asks you to deposit cash into one of these machines, think twice. Sending money to a wallet you don’t control likely means you’ll lose it.

On the other side, States across the US are rolling out strict new laws to crack down on crypto kiosks. A report suggests that from 2020 to 2023, crypto ATM-related fraud ballooned nearly 10 times. The FBI says it got 99% more complaints in 2024, with $247 million in losses tied to these kiosks.

Americans aged over 60 are more than three times as likely to get fleeced via a crypto ATM than their younger counterparts. It’s not just the scams, but it’s how they’re engineered. Scammers walk victims through every step, like go to this gas station, scan this code, feed in your cash. Most of these victims have never touched crypto before, and after the scam, they probably never will again.

However, the digital assets market is growing day by day. The cumulative crypto market cap surged by more than 2% over the last 24 hours to stand at $3.31 trillion. Bitcoin is trading above $108K at the press time, while Ethereum is hovering around $2,439.

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