85-year-old Texan saved from a Bitcoin ATM scam by ‘guardian angel’ — the $250M warning all Americans should heed

Core Insights - Bitcoin ATM scams are increasingly prevalent, with significant financial losses reported by consumers [3][2] - The FBI reported 10,956 complaints regarding crypto ATM fraud in 2024, totaling losses of $246.7 million [2] - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) noted that consumers lost over $110 million to Bitcoin ATM scams in 2023, marking a nearly tenfold increase since 2020 [3] Industry Trends - Bitcoin ATMs are favored by scammers due to the difficulty in tracing transactions and the irreversibility of payments [7] - Lawmakers and regulators are beginning to intervene, with at least 17 states implementing regulatory measures on Bitcoin ATMs [10] - Arizona has enacted new laws limiting daily transactions to $2,000 for new customers and requiring fraud warnings at kiosks [11] Consumer Impact - Victims of Bitcoin ATM scams are often older adults, with those over 60 being more than three times as likely to report losses compared to younger individuals [3] - The median loss reported per fraudulent transaction is $8,000, with the median age of victims being 71 [9] Regulatory Developments - The Washington, D.C. Attorney General has sued Athena Bitcoin, citing that 93% of transactions on its devices were linked to scams [9] - Stricter regulations could potentially reduce the profitability of Bitcoin ATM operators and decrease their prevalence [12] Prevention Measures - Consumers are advised to avoid responding to unsolicited communications requesting money transfers via Bitcoin ATMs [13] - Education on the operation of these scams is crucial, especially for older individuals [16]