Press Release

Attorney General Cox Warns Alaskans about Scammers Directing Victims to Crypto ATMs

April 29, 2026

(Anchorage, AK) – Crypto ATMs—kiosks that allow customers to convert cash into a cryptocurrency and direct it to a cryptocurrency wallet— have become more common in Alaska over the last several years. Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of these machines to quickly separate their victims from their money.

Scammers often call victims posing as law enforcement officers, particularly local police. They may tell you that you have missed jury duty or are under suspicion of committing a crime, and that you must pay some kind of fine or “bail” to avoid arrest. They may refer to a crypto ATM as a “safety locker” or a “bail forfeiture machine.”

In other cases, the scammer pretends to be someone trying to protect your money—such as a representative from your bank’s fraud department. Scammers have also begun using AI voice cloning to mimic the voice of family members who have posted audio of their voice online—particularly children and grandchildren. The scammer then pretends to be that family member, claiming a desperate and immediate need for money, often for bail.

“Crypto isn’t the problem—criminals are,” says Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox. “And right now they’re using these machines to move fast and stay hidden—often targeting older Alaskans with high-pressure calls designed to create panic. So here’s the rule: no legitimate business, bank, or law enforcement officer is going to ask you to feed cash into a crypto ATM—not for bail, not to ‘protect’ your money, not for anything. If you get that call or text, it’s a scam. Hang up. Don’t argue. Don’t explain. Just hang up.”

Local businesses that host crypto ATMs will be receiving a letter from the Attorney General’s Office over the coming days with tips on how to identify customers who may be victims of these scams.

Community organizations which would like to arrange for a presentation on scams from the Consumer Protection Unit can email consumerprotection@alaska.gov.

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Department Media Contact: Information Officer Sam Curtis at sam.curtis@alaska.gov or (907) 269-6269.

Due to resource constraints, we are no longer posting links to the briefs. Please refer to the Supreme Court’s Docket Search or PACER for all federal briefs. Any briefs that are not otherwise publicly available are available upon request through law.recordsrequest@alaska.gov.