Fake Bitcoin ATM cash payment scam — IRS/SSA/utility/tech support demands payment via Bitcoin ATM + go to nearest Bitcoin ATM + deposit cash + send Bitcoin to wallet address + no government agency or utility accepts Bitcoin ATM payments

Bitcoin ATM fraud — one of the fastest-growing fraud payment methods. Scammers impersonating the IRS, Social Security Administration, utility companies (electricity, gas, water), Microsoft/Apple tech support, courts, or bail bondsmen instruct victims to go to a physical Bitcoin ATM (located in gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores) and deposit cash which is immediately converted to Bitcoin and sent to the scammer's wallet. The irreversibility of Bitcoin transactions is the key property scammers exploit. Key facts: (1) No US government agency (IRS, SSA, USCIS, courts) accepts or requests payment in Bitcoin or cryptocurrency — this is explicitly stated by every federal agency; (2) Utility companies accept credit/debit cards, ACH transfers, checks, or money orders — never Bitcoin; (3) Bitcoin ATM transactions are typically final within minutes and cannot be reversed; (4) Bitcoin ATMs charge fees of 8–20%, making them expensive for any legitimate purpose; (5) The FTC 2024 reported that Bitcoin ATMs are now the #1 payment method for government impostor scams by dollar amount, with losses exceeding $114 million in a single year. The FBI Cryptocurrency Fraud Division specifically lists Bitcoin ATM payment requests as a near-certain fraud indicator. In response, several states have mandated daily transaction limits and mandatory fraud warnings at Bitcoin ATMs.