FORSYTH COUNTY, GA — Forsyth County leaders are taking steps to regulate cryptocurrency ATMs after investigators reported millions of dollars in local scam-related losses tied to the machines.

The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office told commissioners this week that residents have lost more than $5.9 million to crypto-related scams so far in 2025. Captain Bill Franco said crypto ATMs, often found in gas stations and convenience stores, remain largely unregulated and can be an easy target for criminals.

“We’ve had victims that had deposited over $100,000 into an ATM machine and a scam which was over $30,000 in fees, almost 30%,” Franco said. He added that warning signs near the kiosks could help prevent some scams, noting victims range from young adults to older residents.

Commissioners voted to direct the county attorney to draft an ordinance that would place new regulations on crypto ATMs and require customer warnings about fraud risks.

Crypto scams are not unique to Forsyth County. The FBI has reported a tenfold increase in scams involving crypto kiosks nationwide between 2020 and 2023, estimating nearly $250 million in related losses last year alone.

Several states, including Rhode Island, Illinois, Arizona, and Oklahoma, have recently passed laws to reduce consumer risk from the machines.

Forsyth County officials say they hope similar local regulations will help curb losses and better protect residents from costly fraud.

WSB’s Jennifer Perry contributed to this story