Pig butchering scam

A pig butchering scam is a long-con investment fraud in which scammers build a relationship with a victim over weeks or months, then persuade them to invest in crypto through a fake platform. The name comes from the Chinese phrase "sha zhu pan", likening the process to fattening a pig before slaughter.

It often starts with a "wrong number" message, a dating-app match or a friendly contact on WhatsApp, Telegram or LinkedIn. The scammer eventually mentions their success trading crypto and guides the victim to an app or website that shows impressive fake profits. Small early withdrawals may be allowed to build trust. When the victim invests larger sums, withdrawals are blocked with demands for "taxes" or "fees", and the money is gone.

Warning signs include strangers steering conversations to investments, guaranteed returns, unfamiliar trading apps and requests to send crypto to a personal wallet. Legitimate exchanges do not need you to pay fees upfront to withdraw.