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Crypto ATM Warning: Urgent Scam Alert for Consumers!
Nov 5, 2025
Consumers beware! Crypto ATMs are reportedly enabling scams. Victims think they're protecting their money by buying Bitcoin, but end up losing thousands. Learn how to spot the red flags and protect yourself. #CryptoScam #BitcoinATM #ConsumerWarning #FraudAlert
View Video Transcript
0:00
We have an urgent warning for consumers
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about cryptocurrency ATMs. The top city
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prosecutor in Washington DC claims an
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ATM provider is enabling a crypto scam
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where victims think they are protecting
0:12
their money by buying Bitcoin. National
0:15
consumer correspondent Usher Cares spoke
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to a woman who says she was taken in.
0:21
There was a voice message that was
0:23
coming on with this and said, "Don't
0:25
turn your computer on. Don't turn your
0:27
computer off." Last summer, a simple
0:29
click turned into a nightmare. Maryland
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retiree Diane Reynolds was online when
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her screen froze and a warning popped
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up.
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Access has been blocked for security
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reasons and for your safety and call
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this number.
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But that number wasn't tech support. It
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was a scammer. He claimed hackers had
0:47
her bank account information and told
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her the only way to save her money was
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to convert it to encrypted Bitcoin.
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How much money did he tell you to take
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out? $13,100.
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Reynolds went to her bank, withdrew the
1:01
cash, and followed instructions to a gas
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station to this kiosk run by a company
1:06
called Athena Bitcoin.
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And this is the only proof that you have
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that you put $13,000 plus into that
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machine.
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That is it.
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Athena Bitcoin operates more than 4,000
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crypto ATMs nationwide. They look like
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regular ATMs, but instead of cash, they
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convert your money into untraceable
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crypto. Critics say scammers are using
1:25
them to steal millions, mostly from
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seniors.
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Bitcoin ATMs are a tool that scammers
1:32
that criminals are using to separate
1:35
people, including DC residents, from
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their hard-earned money.
1:38
Washington DC Attorney General Brian
1:40
Schwab is suing Athena. Athena as a
1:43
Bitcoin operator knows that its kiosks
1:46
are being used by this element and yet
1:48
have failed to put proper anti-fraud
1:51
prevention systems in place to keep it
1:53
from happening. And what makes it worse
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is they're profiting from this because
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they're charging very substantial fees.
2:00
Those findings, according to the AG,
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mean that every time someone is scammed,
2:04
Athena with a strict no refund policy
2:07
gets a cut. And now Reynolds herself is
2:09
suing. Von Stewart is her attorney.
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Are you alleging that the incentive to
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prevent this is not there because they
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do make so much on these transaction
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fees?
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They're not just allowing the fraud to
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happen. They're profiting from it and
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it's in their financial best interest to
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allow as many scams to happen as
2:27
possible.
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Athena denied our requests for an
2:29
interview. In a written statement, the
2:31
company says it strongly disagrees with
2:33
the DC lawsuit, insisting it employs
2:36
aggressive safety protocols, including
2:38
prominent on-screen warnings.
2:40
Reynolds says her experience left her
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shaken and determined to speak out.
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Now, I'm an advocate for just telling
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people, you know, this is real,
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be aware.
2:53
Asha Kureshi, CBS News, Silver Spring,
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Maryland.
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All right. So, if you get a popup saying
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your computer is compromised, don't call
3:01
the number on the screen. No bank,
3:04
government agency, or law enforcement
3:05
officer will ever ask you to deposit
3:07
cash into a Bitcoin ATM. Instead, shut
3:11
down your device, then call your bank
3:12
directly, and then ask for help.