The Arlington Police Department and Arlington Council on Aging want to alert residents to a growing form of fraud that is increasingly targeting older adults: scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs, sometimes referred to as Bitcoin ATMs. 

These scams are particularly concerning because they often involve significant financial losses, and once money is converted to cryptocurrency and transferred to a scammer, it can be extremely difficult, to impossible, to recover.  

Over the past two years, more than 25 Arlington residents have come forward to the Arlington Police Department to report being victims of scams, with combined reported losses totaling more than $1 million. 

State lawmakers are now considering legislation that would ban cryptocurrency ATMs in Massachusetts. The proposal has received support from law enforcement officials across the Commonwealth and the Massachusetts Bankers Association. It recently passed as part of the state's economic development legislation, Bill S.3178, and is now in committee. 

In the meantime, Arlington residents should remain vigilant of all attempts to get access to their money. The circumstances around Bitcoin ATMs may vary, but the tactics are often very similar. A resident receives a phone call, text, email, or computer pop-up from someone claiming to be a police officer, government official, bank representative, technology support employee, utility company, or even a family member experiencing an emergency. 

The scammer creates a sense of urgency. The resident may be told that a bank account has been compromised, that money is owed, that a loved one is in trouble, or that immediate action is necessary to protect their savings. 

The resident is then instructed to withdraw cash and travel to a cryptocurrency ATM, where they are told to deposit the money and scan a QR code or enter information provided by the scammer.  These Cryptocurrency ATMs often look quite similar to bank ATMs and are located in places like convenience stores or gas stations, where bank ATMs are often located.  Because they look familiar, many people assume that the machines are regulated by insured banks and that their money is protected.   

We want our residents to remember one very important message: No legitimate police department, government agency, court, bank, or utility company will instruct you to protect your money or resolve an emergency by depositing cash into a cryptocurrency ATM. 

Scammers are good at creating fear and convincing people that they must act immediately. They may tell victims not to hang up, not to speak with family members, or not to contact their bank or the police. Those are significant warning signs.   

The number of older Arlington residents who reach out to the Council on Aging regarding scams that they have experienced has grown in the past few years. Many are ashamed once they learn that they have been a victim of a scam and don’t talk about it with friends and family. The level of urgency that the scammer creates often triggers panic in the older adult and leads them to believe they have no choice but to do what the scammer tells them to do.   

If you receive this type of request, stop before taking any action. Do not withdraw money, purchase cryptocurrency, buy gift cards, scan an unfamiliar QR code, or provide personal or financial information. Hang up and independently contact the organization or family member using a telephone number you know to be legitimate. 

Most importantly, talk to someone you trust. A quick conversation with a family member, friend, bank employee, Council on Aging staff member, or police officer could prevent a devastating financial loss.  

Be sure to subscribe to the monthly Arlington Council on Aging newsletter to stay informed about upcoming Scam Awareness Presentations. Subscribe at ArlingtonMA.gov/COA. 

Arlington Police maintain an extensive list of scams at ArlingtonMA.gov/Scams. 

If you believe you may have been a victim of this scam, please contact the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212 to file a report. You may also file a report online at ArlingtonMA.gov/Police.