- Australian police contacted over 90 people linked to suspected criminal use of crypto ATMs.
- Victims lost more than $2 million in cryptocurrency ATM scams between January 2024 and January 2025.
- An elderly widow lost her entire $282,000 life savings in a romance scam involving a Bitcoin ATM.
- Authorities charged one person and issued formal cautions to four others for suspected illegal activity.
- New rules and transaction limits for crypto ATMs aim to slow fraudulent activity in Australia, which has the third-highest count of such machines worldwide.
Australian Federal Police have reached out to more than 90 individuals as part of a nationwide effort to address illegal and fraudulent use of cryptocurrency ATMs. The action targets both victims and suspected offenders following a rise in scams involving cryptocurrency machines in Australia.
AUSTRAC, the country’s financial intelligence agency, revealed that one victim, a 77-year-old widow, lost her full life savings of $282,000 over 18 months in a romance scam. From January 2024 to January 2025, the national online cybercrime system, ReportCyber, received 150 reports of scams connected to crypto ATMs, with combined losses exceeding $2 million, according to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Police said that scammers used tactics such as fake investment documents and romance ruses to persuade victims to deposit money into cryptocurrency ATMs. The ABC reported that the 77-year-old widow was unaware of the fraud until police informed her. Another woman in her 70s lost over $130,000 after believing a false advertisement for a trading firm, said AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas.
Law enforcement identified 21 people for further inquiry, including suspected scam victims and potential offenders. According to AUSTRAC, “almost all of the transactions we referred involved victims rather than criminals.” Police charged one person with property laundering and issued formal cautions to four others for offenses such as using crypto to buy drugs or acting as money mules. Some individuals helped criminals unknowingly or attempted to recover previous losses. The AFP noted that a few people were reluctant to admit they had been defrauded.
Australia has imposed new operating rules and set transaction limits for crypto ATM operators since June 3, aiming to reduce scam risks. The country currently has 1,871 cryptocurrency ATMs, the third-largest number globally.
AFP Commander Graeme Marshall stated that victims are often manipulated through promises of love, employment, investment, or quick profits. He advised, “If you are guaranteed quick profits, if there is a high-pressure deadline or sense of urgency, and if you have never met the person before, cease contact immediately and report them.”
For further information, see the official AUSTRAC statement, ABC’s report on the widow’s case, and the AFP media release here.
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