In Fishers, a phone call about a hacked computer or looming legal trouble is turning into a fast track to empty bank accounts, as scammers steer rattled residents straight to nearby bitcoin ATMs.
Police say the con artists keep victims on the line, apply heavy pressure, then direct them to feed cash into a specific cryptocurrency kiosk. Once the money is converted to bitcoin, it is almost impossible to claw back, which is exactly what the scammers are counting on.
According to reporting by the Country Herald, the Fishers Police Department has been hearing about this scheme one to two times a week. Callers typically claim a computer has been compromised or that the person is under investigation, then insist payment must be made immediately through a designated bitcoin ATM. After an initial payment, some victims are hit up again and again, pressured to send more money through the same machines.
The problem is not just local. Nationally, these attacks have surged: the FBI told ABC News that Americans lost roughly $333 million to crypto-ATM scams between January and November 2025. Consumer advocates and federal officials say older adults get targeted most often, and the quick, irreversible nature of crypto transfers makes ATMs especially attractive to fraudsters. Fishers police say what they are seeing in town tracks closely with that national pattern.
Locally, the department is trying to cut off the scams before they start. Its guidance to residents is blunt: no legitimate government agency, company or law enforcement office will demand payment in bitcoin. The department urges people to hang up on suspicious callers and, if there is any doubt, call back using a verified number from an official website rather than whatever shows up on caller ID. The Fishers Police Department posts detailed tips for spotting impersonation attempts and other common ruses. A recent alert on scam calls impersonating officers underscored that the bitcoin ploy is part of a broader wave of phone-based impersonation schemes in the area.
Legal and industry response
Regulators and prosecutors across the country are starting to push back on the crypto-ATM ecosystem that scammers exploit. ABC News reported that, in Maine, Bitcoin Depot agreed to pay about $1.9 million to compensate victims in a settlement, and multiple state attorneys general have opened investigations or filed lawsuits against kiosk operators.
Additional reporting by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists highlights complaints that some companies approved transactions that should have raised obvious red flags and that a sizable share of deposits at certain machines were tied to scams. In response, regulators and consumer advocates are calling for stronger on-screen warnings, tighter daily limits on deposits and more aggressive oversight of operators to slow the flow of scam money.
What to do if you are targeted
If someone demands payment in bitcoin or tries to route you to a crypto ATM, police say that is your cue to hang up, not head to the mall. Contact a family member or trusted friend, then reach out to Fishers police through the non-emergency line at 317-773-1282 or the main number at 317-595-3300.
Victims and near-victims can also file reports with federal agencies. Online complaints can be submitted to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3 or to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For older adults and their families, AARP Indiana offers additional guidance on spotting and avoiding crypto scams.
Authorities say quick reporting can help them spot patterns, alert kiosk operators and, in some cases, take action on specific machines before more residents lose their savings.
