Scam of the Week · July 22, 2026 · Nature Coast, FL

“Go to the Bitcoin machine at the gas station. Stay on the phone with me.”

That one instruction cost Americans $389 million in 2025, per the FBI — and people over 60 lost more than any other age group. Here’s the one rule that stops it cold.

What it looks like

You’re told there’s a problem: your computer is compromised, your bank account is at risk, a package is flagged, a bill is overdue. The caller sounds official and stays calm. Then comes the fix: withdraw cash from your bank, drive to a Bitcoin kiosk at a gas station or convenience store, and feed the bills in — while they stay on the line the whole time. The moment that cash enters the machine, it’s gone. There is no undo, no refund, no fraud department that can pull it back.

How it works

  • They create the emergency first. FinCEN — the Treasury’s financial crimes office — found that fake tech-support calls drive 46% of these kiosk scams. The story varies; the ending never does.
  • They keep you isolated. “Don’t tell the bank teller what it’s for. Don’t hang up.” They know the moment you talk to anyone, the spell breaks.
  • The kiosk is the tell. No bank, government agency, utility, or company will ever — ever — send you to a Bitcoin machine. That sentence alone defeats every version of this scam.

Why this one targets us

Of the $389 million lost to crypto kiosk scams in 2025, victims 60 and over lost $257.5 million — the most of any age group, by far. It’s gotten serious enough that FinCEN issued a formal warning (Notice FIN-2025-NTC1) in August 2025, and Florida lawmakers filed HB 505 in December 2025 to require warnings and daily limits on these machines. The machines are sitting in stores all over our area right now.

The one rule: Anyone who tells you to put cash in a Bitcoin kiosk is a criminal — no matter who they claim to be. Hang up, and call the real organization at the number on your card or statement. And please know: these criminals fool smart, careful people every day. Falling for the first ten minutes of the script says nothing about you.

If it already happened

No shame — these criminals fool smart people. Call your bank at the number on your card, then report: National Elder Fraud Hotline 1-833-372-8311 · FBI ic3.gov · FTC 1-877-382-4357. Keep the kiosk receipt — investigators use it.

Questions, or want a gut-check on a call you received? Call or text (352) 836-1337 — it’s free, and it’s what I’m here for. — Jeffery, Nature Coast Tech Guardian

Sources: FBI IC3 2025 crypto kiosk loss data; FinCEN Notice FIN-2025-NTC1 (Aug 2025); Florida HB 505 (filed Dec 2025). More: the 6 scams hitting our area right now.