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A Stinker Store clerk in Boise, Idaho, interrupted two attempted Bitcoin ATM payments after recognizing a familiar warning sign: older customers carrying cash while a caller told them the money had to be paid in Bitcoin. Inc. reported that Avalon Hardy unplugged the kiosk as one 79-year-old woman was preparing to deposit $15,000, then helped prevent a 75-year-old woman from depositing $19,000 the following week. The episodes illustrate a broader scam tactic: impersonators create urgency and direct people to send cash through a crypto kiosk, where the transaction can be difficult to recover.
What happened at the Boise store
In a September 11, 2025 account, Inc. reported that Avalon Hardy, a clerk at a Stinker Store in Boise, noticed elderly women arriving with cash while speaking to someone who claimed to be owed money payable only in Bitcoin. When a 79-year-old customer was preparing to deposit $15,000, Hardy unplugged the Bitcoin ATM. Inc. says that the following week Hardy intervened as a 75-year-old woman was about to deposit $19,000.
Hardy told Inc. she estimated she had stopped around seven crypto scams at the store. That is her estimate, not an independently audited store total. Inc. identified the kiosk operator as Bitcoin Depot and reported that store employees had not received formal training from Stinker Stores on spotting these scams. The publication said the company did not respond to its request for comment. The incident is reported by Inc. and repeated by Futurism; the sources cited here do not include an official Boise Police case file confirming the events.
How a Bitcoin ATM scam works
A Bitcoin ATM converts cash into cryptocurrency. The Federal Trade Commission says scammers may tell a target to withdraw cash, go to a Bitcoin ATM, and scan a QR code the scammer supplied. That code routes the cryptocurrency to an account controlled by the scammer. The caller may claim the payment is needed to resolve a problem or protect the person’s money.
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The machine itself may look like a normal payment terminal, but the instructions are the warning: a stranger or supposed official dictates where to go, what to say, and how to transfer money. Pressure, impersonation, secrecy, and demands to move funds are signals to pause—not proof that a payment is legitimate. A government agency or legitimate company will not require payment through a cryptocurrency kiosk to settle a bill, avoid arrest, or secure an account.
What the official loss figures show—and what they do not
The FTC’s Bitcoin ATM figures are estimates based on keyword analysis of consumer-report narratives. They measure reported losses, not every scam or the full amount actually lost; the FTC notes that most fraud is not reported.
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| Measure | What was reported | Scope and qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin ATM scam losses in 2023 | More than $110 million | FTC estimate published in 2024 from consumer reports through 2023; nearly ten times the reported amount in 2020. |
| Bitcoin ATM scam losses, first half of 2024 | More than $65 million | FTC estimate from consumer reports; not a full-year figure. |
| Reported Bitcoin ATM scam losses by age | People 60 and older were more than three times as likely as younger adults to report a loss | FTC comparison for the first half of 2024. It describes reported losses, not the likelihood for any one person. |
| Cryptocurrency-related fraud losses in 2023 | More than $5.6 billion | FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center figure released in 2024; it covers cryptocurrency fraud broadly, not Bitcoin ATM scams alone. |
The FTC’s Bitcoin ATM estimates and the FBI’s broader cryptocurrency-fraud total have different scopes and should not be added together or treated as equivalent. The figures indicate the scale of reports, not a forecast for a particular customer or a complete accounting of losses.
What to do if someone directs you to a Bitcoin ATM
- Stop before paying. Do not withdraw cash, scan a QR code, or enter a transaction because an unsolicited caller says a payment is urgent. The FTC’s advice is direct: “Don’t believe anyone who says you need to use a Bitcoin ATM, buy gift cards, or move money to protect it or fix a problem.”
- Verify the story independently. If the caller claims to represent a government agency, bank, or company, end the conversation and find that organization’s published phone number yourself. The FBI advises against relying on a number supplied by the caller or in an unsolicited message.
- Bring in someone you trust. Talk the situation through with a family member, friend, or other trusted person before acting. The FTC specifically recommends this when someone is pressuring you to use a Bitcoin ATM.
- Report suspected fraud. The FTC accepts reports through its fraud reporting service. The FBI recommends reporting suspected cryptocurrency fraud to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
If you have already sent cryptocurrency, report the incident promptly to the relevant authorities and contact the kiosk operator using independently verified contact details. Do not assume a completed transfer can be reversed or pay anyone who promises to recover funds for an upfront fee.
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Why a bystander’s interruption matters
Hardy’s actions, as reported by Inc., interrupted two payments before the women completed them. Boise Police financial-crimes detective Brad Thorne told Inc., “People stopping and disrupting these scams is the best way that we have to really affect it.” He also said, “It’s much easier to stop it before it starts.”
The story does not establish a general workplace procedure for employees to follow, and unplugging a kiosk should not be treated as a standard instruction for bystanders. The transferable lesson is to recognize the coercive payment demand, interrupt the pressure where it is safe to do so, and help the person reach a trusted contact or official channel before money moves.
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