Online Romance Scams

When a sultry, voluptuous and beautiful foreign female sends you a friend request in Facebook, this is most probably a scam. I was told and I have seen these overly familiar tactic.

I am aware that a few good friends has foreign female friends and somehow these comes out as a suggestive friend and the powerful and sniffing Meta can entice you to add them as friends. There are various instances that I was personally given that friend requests and it does sound too good to be true, because indeed it is.

The scheme is called PIG BUTCHERING. A bit too harsh a name for a slow burn scam taking your trust and sanity for the final demand for money.

Pig butchering is a pervasive scam that has impacted thousands of victims worldwide, resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. The term “pig butchering” refers to a type of financial fraud where victims are lured into sending money overseas, only to be left empty-handed. Here is what you need to know about this scam:

Who are pig butchers?

o Pig butchers are scammers operating a network of fake accounts across various platforms, including social media, messaging apps, and dating applications.

o They target unsuspecting users by posing as attractive individuals, often using stolen photos and fabricated profiles.

How do pig butchers contact potential victims?
 Pig butchers reach out to victims through platforms like:
 WhatsApp
 Telegram
 TikTok
 Twitter (formerly known as X)
 Instagram
 Tinder
 Bumble
 Hinge
 They initiate conversations, build trust, and eventually convince victims to send money.
Why do pig butchers move off platform to messaging apps?
 Pig butchers often transition from social media or dating apps to private messaging platforms like WhatsApp or Telegram.
 Moving off-platform allows them to continue their deception without the scrutiny of public profiles.
Are all the images on these profiles fake?
 Yes, many of the images used by pig butchers are stolen or artificially generated.
 Victims may encounter profiles with seemingly genuine Facebook or Instagram accounts, but these are part of the scam.
Where are these scammers based?
 The true extent of pig butchering operations is not fully understood, but they operate globally.
o Their geographic location remains elusive.
Online sources have documented their modus operandi and I am sharing these as a warning for everyone.