What to keep
- The paper or emailed receipt, which usually shows the wallet address and transaction ID.
- The machine's location, date and time.
- The QR code or address you were sent, and all messages from the caller.
Next steps
- Stop contact and do not make further deposits.
- Report to Action Fraud or Police Scotland and mention the ATM location.
- The receipt's transaction ID allows the payment to be followed on the public record.
If you are looking at your own case rather than reading generally, our cryptocurrency investigation service explains how a case is scoped and worked, the asset tracing hub covers the network-specific work, and our overview of cryptocurrency scam recovery in the UK sets out what is realistic. Asset pages: USDT tracing, Bitcoin tracing and Ethereum tracing. You can also contact the investigations team directly.
Common questions
- Are crypto ATMs legal in the UK?
- The FCA has said no crypto ATM operators are registered to operate in the UK, so they are operating illegally.
Sources
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. We provide investigation, reporting and support with practical next steps; no outcome is guaranteed.
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