Pig Butchering Scam Targets Victims Through Fake Relationships

The 'pig butchering' scam has been targeting victims through texts, dating apps, and social media, with scammers building fake relationships to steal money. They often spend weeks or months gaining their victims' trust by showering them with attention and flaunting a lavish lifestyle.

Once trust is established, they propose investment opportunities related to cryptocurrency, guiding victims to convert their cash into crypto through publicly known exchanges, ATMs, or digital wallet services.

Digital forensics expert Wanderson Castilho warns of several red flags, including being constantly available and falling in love too quickly. He also notes that when scammers bring up money, it's a definite sign of trouble.

Castilho estimates that at least 90% of the time, victims never recover their money. Experts advise keeping a record of all cryptocurrency information and filing a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.