CertiK Releases Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud Report: Losses Reach $330 Million, AI Scams and Cross-Border Money Laundering Emerge as Major Threats
CertiK's "Skynet Cryptocurrency ATM Fraud Report" reveals that losses from such scams reached $330 million in 2025, a 33% year-on-year increase, making it one of the fastest-growing financial crimes in the U.S. The report highlights that these scams have evolved into a highly organized transnational criminal industry, leveraging social engineering and AI technologies.
Cryptocurrency ATMs, with 78% located in the U.S., serve as a rapid channel for fraudsters to transfer funds. Victims, often elderly individuals who account for 86% of the losses, are manipulated via phone calls or messages to deposit cash into these machines. The funds are quickly converted into cryptocurrency and transferred to wallets controlled by criminals, making recovery nearly impossible once the transaction is on the blockchain.
AI-driven scams, including voice cloning and deepfake videos, have proven 4.5 times more profitable than traditional methods. Criminal networks use automated scripts and employ "smurfing" tactics to bypass transaction limits. The illicit funds are rapidly laundered through mixing services, cross-chain bridges, and decentralized exchanges, often within minutes.
The report emphasizes that the only effective intervention point is at the transaction entry level, before funds are on-chain. It calls for enhanced KYC measures, industry-wide intelligence sharing, real-time risk screening, and stronger cross-border law enforcement cooperation to combat this escalating threat.
marsbit04/02 07:36