TL;DR: According to Wisconsin Watch on September 28, 2026, Americans lost $333 million to crypto ATM scams in 2025, up from $246.7 million in 2024. Wisconsin's Act 226 limits transactions to $1,000 per day, requires ID and a receipt, and offers refunds to victims who report within 30 days. The article says reports have dropped since the law took effect.

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What was reported

A September 28, 2026 article by Wisconsin Watch says Americans lost $333 million in scams involving crypto ATMs in 2025, compared with $246.7 million in 2024. It describes Wisconsin residents who lost $400,000 and $135,000, and says 86% of losses involve Americans over 60.

Scammers typically tell a victim to withdraw cash and feed it into a crypto kiosk, claiming it will protect the money or resolve a problem.

What the new law does

The article notes that Minnesota, Indiana and Tennessee chose complete bans instead. Wisconsin officials quoted in the piece said reports of illicit activity involving the kiosks have fallen since the law took effect. These are the article's claims and the figures are attributed to it.

Red flags

Anyone who tells you to put cash into a crypto ATM is a scammer. The request often arrives alongside a claim of arrest, a hacked account or a hot investment, the patterns covered in social security impersonation calls, crypto scam statistics for 2026 and romance investment (pig butchering) scams.

What to do and where to report

If you already used a kiosk, contact the operator and report to local law enforcement or your state financial regulator without waiting, since the Wisconsin refund window is 30 days. Also file at FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and FTC ReportFraud. Recovery after the window is difficult; read realistic expectations for crypto scam recovery and elder fraud statistics for 2026 for context, and how to protect elderly parents from phone scams for how to talk with relatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wisconsin's Act 226 require?

A $1,000 daily transaction limit, identification, and a receipt after each transaction.

Can victims get a refund?

According to the article, yes, if they report within 30 days to the operator and to law enforcement or a state agency.

How much did Americans lose to crypto ATM scams?

Wisconsin Watch reports $333 million in 2025, up from $246.7 million in 2024.

Do legitimate agencies ask for payment at crypto ATMs?

No. Anyone telling you to deposit cash into a crypto ATM is a scammer.

Sources

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