FBI Public Service Announcement Warns of 'Increased' Crypto ATM, QR Code Fraud

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), America’s domestic intelligence and security service, has published a public service announcement concerning fraudulent schemes associated with cryptocurrency ATMs and QR codes. The FBI’s warning, published on November 4, highlights the presence of “scammers” directing their energy at unknowing victims.

US Federal Agency Warns of Increase in Crypto ‘Scammers’

On Thursday, the U.S. government entity the FBI published a public service announcement that explains “criminal actors” are maliciously utilizing cryptocurrency automated teller machines (ATMs) in order to compromise victims’ crypto funds. The FBI’s press release stems from the Internet Crime Complaint Center which has seen an “increase in scammers.”

“The FBI warns the public of fraudulent schemes leveraging cryptocurrency ATMs and Quick Response (QR) codes to facilitate payment,” the announcement notes. “The FBI has seen an increase in scammers directing victims to use physical cryptocurrency ATMs and digital QR codes to complete payment transactions.”

FBI Offers Public Tips to Avoid Fraud

It’s not the first time the FBI has issued public warnings in regard to the cryptocurrency ecosystem. During the first week of May, Bitcoin.com News reported on the FBI placing warning signs on crypto ATMs in the U.S., and in mid-July, the federal agency issued an industry-wide warning about possible attacks on exchanges and crypto asset holders.

The latest warning from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center offers a number of tips to protect the average citizen from malicious criminal actors. “Do not send payment to someone you have only spoken to online, even if you believe you have established a relationship with the individual,” the FBI’s press release says. “Do not follow instructions from someone you have never met to scan a QR code and send payment via a physical cryptocurrency ATM,” the federal agency’s warning adds.