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Nobody legitimate sends you to a Bitcoin ATM by phone
If someone on the phone tells you to go to a Bitcoin ATM, that instruction is the scam, so hang up.
Written by John AlewineReviewed by the Crypto Guidance team
Published ยท Updated
A Bitcoin ATM is a kiosk that takes cash and sends crypto to an address you type or scan. It looks like a bank machine. It is not one.
It is a favorite prop in phone "refund" scams. A stranger on the phone walks someone to a kiosk, has them buy bitcoin, and has them send it to an address the stranger controls. Cash in, irreversible send out, no chargeback.
Nobody legitimate will tell you, on the phone, to go to a Bitcoin ATM.
An AI chatbot can explain what a Bitcoin ATM is. It cannot hear the person on your phone line or see the screen of the machine in front of you. The decision stays with you.
If a caller sends you to a kiosk
- Hang up.
- Do not stay on the phone while you drive to a machine.
- Do not scan or type an address someone reads to you.
- If you have already been told to, call someone you trust, like a family member, before you do anything irreversible.
If you want bitcoin, use an exchange, a bank transfer, and a withdrawal to self-custody. The kiosk is a last resort. More on the Bitcoin ATM guide and the Security page.
Consulting is one-on-one, and I never ask for your private keys or seed phrase.