How to report a pig butchering scam to the FBI and local authorities
Pig butchering (sha zhu pan) scams blend a fake romance with a fake crypto-investment platform. Victims usually realize what happened only after they try to withdraw and the platform demands more 'taxes' or 'fees.' The faster you report — to the FBI, your bank, and the blockchain analytics community — the better the chance of freezing funds before they're laundered.
Report it in this order, today: (1) File an IC3 complaint at ic3.gov — this is the FBI's official intake. (2) Call your bank's fraud line and reference the IC3 report number to start a wire recall. (3) File a local police report so you have a case number for your bank and insurer. (4) Share the receiving wallet address with Chainabuse and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Save every message, transaction hash, and platform screenshot before anything gets deleted.
Step-by-step check
- 1
Preserve the evidence before you confront anyone
Screenshot every chat (WhatsApp, Telegram, Line, WeChat, dating-app DMs), the fake trading dashboard, deposit instructions, and any 'tax' or 'unlock fee' demands. Export transaction hashes from your wallet (MetaMask → Activity → each tx → 'View on explorer'). Do NOT message the scammer to ask for your money back — they'll delete the account and you'll lose evidence.
- 2
File an FBI IC3 report at ic3.gov
Go to ic3.gov and click 'File a Complaint.' Use the crime type 'Confidence Fraud/Romance' AND mention 'Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud (Pig Butchering)' in the narrative. Include every wallet address, every transaction hash, the platform URL, the scammer's aliases, and the dates. Save the IC3 complaint number — you'll need it for your bank.
- 3
Call your bank's fraud line immediately
If you sent funds via wire or ACH to a crypto exchange, the bank may be able to recall the wire if it's been less than 72 hours. Reference your IC3 complaint number. Ask them to flag the receiving account and your own account for monitoring.
- 4
File a local police report
Walk into your local precinct and file a report. Bring printed screenshots and the IC3 number. Even if local police don't investigate, the case number is required by most banks, insurers, and the IRS to claim a theft loss.
- 5
Report the wallet to Chainabuse and the exchange
Submit the receiving wallet address at chainabuse.com — major exchanges (Coinbase, Binance, OKX) and chain-analytics firms (Chainalysis, TRM, Elliptic) read these reports and can freeze deposits if the funds move to a compliant venue.
- 6
Report to the FTC and your state AG
File at reportfraud.ftc.gov and your state Attorney General's consumer protection division. These reports feed federal task forces and unlock state-level victim resources.
- 7
Tell your accountant before tax season
Theft losses from investment fraud may be deductible under IRC §165 (talk to a CPA who has handled crypto theft). You'll need the police report, IC3 number, and a record of every transaction. Document everything in one folder now.
- 8
Watch for recovery scams
Within weeks you'll be contacted by 'recovery agents,' 'crypto lawyers,' and 'blockchain investigators' promising to get your money back for an upfront fee. They are almost all scammers, often the same group that hit you. Only deal with FBI-listed contacts and licensed attorneys you found independently.
Red flags
- An online match (dating app, LinkedIn, WhatsApp wrong-number) who quickly introduces a 'family member's' crypto trading tip.
- A trading platform you can only access via a link they sent — not listed on CoinMarketCap, no app-store presence, no real company filings.
- Your dashboard shows huge gains but withdrawals require a 'tax', 'audit fee', 'liquidity fee', or 'VIP upgrade' first.
- Customer support is only on Telegram, Line, or WhatsApp — never a verifiable corporate email.
- The romantic partner refuses video calls or only does brief, low-quality video.
What to do next
- ✓File ic3.gov today — the report number unlocks bank and insurance steps.
- ✓Freeze your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion in case ID info was shared.
- ✓Scan any new wallet, link, or contact at gacs.app/check before you send anything else.
- ✓Join a victim support group (AARP Fraud Watch, Global Anti-Scam Org) — isolation makes recovery harder.
FAQ
Will the FBI actually get my money back?
Sometimes. The FBI's Recovery Asset Team has clawed back hundreds of millions in wire fraud when victims report within 72 hours. Crypto recovery is harder but possible if funds land at a compliant exchange that responds to law-enforcement requests. Reporting is the prerequisite — they cannot act on cases they don't know about.
I'm embarrassed. Do I have to use my real name?
Yes — IC3 and police reports require your real identity. The reports are confidential and not public. Embarrassment is the single biggest reason these crimes go unreported, which is exactly what the scammers count on.
How long do I have to report?
There's no statute on filing IC3, but wire recalls work best within 72 hours, and many banks limit fraud-claim windows to 60 days. File today and worry about perfecting the report later.
What if the scammer is overseas?
Most pig butchering operations run out of Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos compounds). The FBI works with international partners through Operation Shamrock and INTERPOL — your report contributes to the larger case even if your specific funds aren't recovered.
Should I hire a crypto recovery service?
Be extremely careful. The vast majority are scams that target prior victims. Never pay an upfront fee. Real options: a licensed attorney you find through your state bar, or a Chainalysis/TRM-affiliated firm with a verifiable corporate address — and only after IC3 and police reports are filed.
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Related scam-safety guides
- What 'pig butchering' actually means
The origin, the stages, and how to recognize you're in it.
- Report pig-butchering scams (all routes)
Full reporting playbook and evidence templates.
- How to spot a crypto scam
12 red flags, ordered by frequency.
- How to report a crypto scam
IC3, exchange freeze requests, on-chain evidence.
Source: GACS — Global Anti-Crime & Safety · Published by the GACS Research Team · Updated July 13, 2026
Cite this page: GACS (2026). How to Report a Pig Butchering Scam to the FBI (IC3). https://gacs.app/guides/how-to-report-pig-butchering-scam · Record ID GACS-guides-how-to-report-pig-butchering-scam
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