"Pig butchering" scams fatten victims with weeks of friendship before the slaughter: a fake investment platform that shows huge profits but never lets you withdraw. Losses often reach six figures.
The stages
- The opener: a "wrong number" text, a dating match or a friendly DM.
- The friendship: daily chats, photos of a glamorous life, talk of a mentor or uncle who trades.
- The test: you invest a small amount on their recommended app — and can withdraw it.
- The fattening: bigger deposits, fake profits, pressure to borrow or sell assets.
- The slaughter: withdrawals need "taxes" or "fees" — then the account freezes and they vanish.
Red flags
- A stranger who steers every conversation toward crypto, gold or forex.
- A trading app or website you cannot find on the official app stores, or that is only weeks old — check it and check whether it is licensed.
- Any fee to withdraw your own money.
What to do
Stop sending money, even "just the tax". Save every wallet address and transaction ID, report to ic3.gov (US) or your national cybercrime centre, and report the receiving wallet with our wallet checker. Our recovery planner lists the exact steps.