A pig butchering scam combines a romance scam with an investment scam. Someone builds trust and friendship with you first, then introduces a lucrative-looking investment — usually cryptocurrency — and gradually persuades you to put in more before disappearing with your money. The name comes from the way scammers "fatten up" a victim with trust and fake profits before taking everything.
How the scam works
- An unexpected message arrives — often a "wrong number" approach, like "Hi, is this Sarah?"
- A friendship develops, with regular, normal-feeling conversation
- The scammer introduces an investment and talks about how well it's gone for them
- You invest, and a fake platform shows you fabricated profits
- You're asked for larger deposits, and withdrawals become difficult or impossible
- Your money disappears, often alongside requests for further "fees" to release it
Warning signs
- Contact from a stranger, out of nowhere
- A friendship that moves unusually fast
- An investment opportunity introduced by a new contact
- Cryptocurrency involved
- Guaranteed returns
- Trouble withdrawing your money
How to protect yourself
Never invest because an online contact recommends it, however well you feel you know them. Verify any platform or firm independently before you put money in.
If you've been targeted
- Stop depositing money immediately
- Keep your wallet addresses, screenshots, platform details, and communications
- Report it to us