Attorney General Dave Sunday has alerted Pennsylvanians to a rise in scams involving Bitcoin ATMs, also known as BTMs. These scams often involve cyber criminals using urgent messaging to deceive consumers into withdrawing large sums of cash and depositing them into Bitcoin ATMs. Once the funds are deposited, scammers instruct victims to scan and send a QR code, granting the criminals access to the money, which is usually irretrievable.
Scammers typically initiate contact through phone calls, text messages, emails, social media messages, or computer alerts. "Scammers will try to alarm, scare, and persuade you to take sudden action — before you are able to stop and realize you are being scammed," Attorney General Sunday stated. He emphasized that his office provides advice on protecting oneself from such deceptions.
To assist those who believe they have been targeted by these scams, the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection can be contacted online via email at scams@attorneygeneral.gov or by phone at 1-800-441-2555.