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High-loss romance-investment scam

Pig butchering scam: what it is, how it works, how to report it

Pig butchering (Chinese: sha zhu pan, 杀猪盘) is a long-running online fraud where a stranger spends weeks building a relationship with you, then lures you onto a fake crypto trading platform. You see fabricated profits, deposit more, and lose everything the moment you try to withdraw. It is now the highest-loss online scam in the English-speaking world.

What is a pig butchering scam?

A pig butchering scam is a long-con romance-investment fraud. A stranger contacts you on a dating app, social network, LinkedIn, or via a "wrong number" text, builds emotional trust over weeks, then introduces you to a fake crypto trading platform. The platform shows you fabricated profits to lure bigger deposits. When you try to withdraw, it invents endless "tax" or "unlock" fees until you stop paying — then disappears.

The name comes from the Chinese sha zhu pan (杀猪盘), literally pig-butchering plate: the victim is fattened up with fake profits before slaughter. The FBI logged over $4 billion in reported pig-butchering losses in 2024, with average per-victim losses above $150,000.

How a pig butchering scam works — the 5 stages

  1. 1

    Contact

    A stranger messages you — dating app, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Instagram, or a 'wrong number' SMS. They are warm, attractive, slightly off-topic. The opener is harmless.

  2. 2

    Trust building (the 'fattening')

    Two to six weeks of daily conversation: family, plans, vulnerabilities. They never ask for money. Eventually they mention a wealthy uncle, a crypto mentor, or their own 'trading strategy'.

  3. 3

    The hook

    You are invited onto a slick-looking trading platform — usually a custom domain you've never heard of, with a real-looking dashboard. Your first small deposit instantly shows a profit.

  4. 4

    The scale-up

    Profits keep climbing on screen. You deposit more. Friends or family are encouraged to join. A 'mentor' or 'VIP analyst' joins the chat and gives daily trades that always win.

  5. 5

    The slaughter

    When you try to withdraw, the platform demands 'tax', 'liquidity unlock', 'AML deposit', or 'profit release fee'. Each fee is the next stage of the scam. The balance is fiction; your deposits are gone.

Red flags to watch for

  • Stranger contacts you out of nowhere and the conversation drifts to crypto, forex, or gold trading within weeks.
  • They mention a relative, mentor, or insider with a 'proven' trading strategy you can copy.
  • The trading platform is not on CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, or any regulator's register.
  • Account dashboard shows steady profits with no losing days — real markets never do this.
  • You can deposit easily but withdrawals require 'tax', 'liquidity', 'AML', or 'profit unlock' fees.
  • They refuse to video-call live, or calls are short, low-quality, and lips don't match the audio (deepfake).
  • They love-bomb you fast: pet names, future plans, 'meant to be' within days of meeting online.

How to report a pig butchering scam

Speed matters in the first 24 hours — your bank's recall window is short. File simultaneously in all relevant places.

United States

File with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov. Also report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general.

United Kingdom

Report to Action Fraud at actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040. Notify your bank within 24 hours to attempt a recall.

Canada

Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca, plus your local police service.

Australia

ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.

EU / Global

Europol's online reporting portal plus your national cybercrime unit. Add the wallet addresses and platform domain to GACS so the next victim sees the warning.

Recent indexed cases

Live from the GACS blacklist — fake platforms, wallets, and brokers associated with pig-butchering / romance-investment fraud.

Frequently asked questions

What is a pig butchering scam in simple terms?

A pig butchering scam is a long-running online fraud where a stranger spends weeks building trust with you — usually pretending to be a romantic interest or new friend — then lures you onto a fake crypto trading platform. They let you 'win' on small deposits, push you to invest more, and disappear once you try to withdraw. The Chinese name 'sha zhu pan' (杀猪盘) translates as 'pig butchering plate': the victim is fattened up before slaughter.

How long does a pig butchering scam usually take?

Most victims report 3 to 12 weeks between first contact and first deposit. The slow build is the defining feature — it separates pig butchering from quick romance or investment scams.

Why can I see profits on the platform but can't withdraw?

The trading platform is custom-built software showing fabricated numbers. Your deposit moved to the scammer's wallet the moment it cleared. No 'tax' or 'fee' will release a balance that does not exist. Every withdrawal-fee request is the next stage of the scam.

Can I recover money lost to a pig butchering scam?

Direct recovery is rare because crypto routes through mixers within hours. The best paths are: (1) immediate bank chargeback if you funded via debit or credit card, (2) reporting to IC3, Action Fraud, or your national cybercrime unit, (3) asking the receiving exchange to freeze the wallet if it lands somewhere identifiable. Never pay a 'recovery agent' — they are second-stage scammers feeding off victim lists.

How do I check if a trading platform is a pig butchering front?

Use the GACS Wallet Checker for the deposit address, the Safe Scanner for the platform URL, and search the platform name on /scam-alerts. If the platform is unverifiable on regulator registers and uses Telegram or WhatsApp groups for support, treat it as hostile.

Why is it called pig butchering?

The term comes from the Chinese 'sha zhu pan' (杀猪盘), literally 'pig-butchering plate'. The scammer 'fattens the pig' (builds trust, shows fake profits) before 'slaughtering' it. The phrase became standard FBI and Interpol terminology in 2022.

Keep learning

If you've lost money — you are not alone

Pig butchering targets your relationships as much as your finances. Most victims describe shame and isolation. Reach out to a therapist, a support community, or the Global Anti-Scam Org before the damage compounds.

Authoritative sources

Independent primary sources used to check and corroborate the guidance on this page.

Source: GACS — Global Anti-Crime & Safety · Published by the GACS Research Team · Updated August 8, 2026

Cite this page: GACS (2026). Pig Butchering — GACS. https://gacs.app/scam-alerts/pig-butchering · Record ID GACS-scam-alerts-pig-butchering

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