ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
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.
