Over the past two years, a sinister type of online fraud has exploded globally: pig butchering scams. The term, borrowed from Chinese slang “shāzhūpán,” describes a scam where victims are “fattened up” over weeks or months before being drained of their savings. In 2024 and continuing into 2025, these scams have become a multi-billion-dollar cybercrime industry, often run by organized crime groups operating out of Southeast Asia.

The playbook is chillingly consistent: scammers contact victims through dating apps, WhatsApp, or even LinkedIn with a friendly message. They build trust through daily conversations, sometimes pretending to be romantic interests, business partners, or mentors. Once trust is established, the scammer gradually introduces the idea of a “safe and profitable crypto investment” on a polished but fake trading platform. Victims are encouraged to deposit small amounts first, which often appear to grow—some can even “withdraw” fake profits to build confidence. But once they invest heavily, the scammer vanishes, the platform locks up, and the victim’s funds are gone.

Law enforcement agencies like the FBI and Interpol have flagged pig butchering as one of the fastest-rising cyber threats, with individual victims losing from $20,000 to millions. Beyond financial losses, the emotional manipulation leaves victims traumatized and ashamed, making many too embarrassed to report the crime.

Defending against pig butchering scams requires both awareness and skepticism: no legitimate investment opportunity will appear randomly on WhatsApp or Tinder; always verify platforms through trusted regulators; and remember that consistent pressure to “invest now” is a hallmark of fraud. In the end, pig butchering isn’t just theft—it’s psychological warfare that turns human trust into the weapon.