‘Pig butchering’ dating scam fattens targets online before the cash sting, says watchdog
A DATING scam trend known as “pig butchering” is among the most convincing scams of 2023 so far, a consumer watchdog report has warned.
Which? is alerting Britons to an array of scams that have been targeting con- sumers so they can take steps to protect themselves.
Lisa Barber, Which? technology editor, said: “It’s appalling that 2023 has seen scammers continuing to thrive, as a new wave of convincing scams bombards consumers from every direction.”
Pig butchering scams are so-called by fraudsters because they fatten up or indulge the victim by forming a romantic connection before executing the investment part of the scam.
The scammer and victim typically meet on a dating site and the victim is “love-bombed” over a period of weeks by someone who appears to take a great interest in their life.
The scammer will often encourage their victim to move from the dating platform to a private messaging service, removing them from any protections the dating site might offer.
The scammer then claims they have been having success investing – typically in property or cryptocurrency – and they offer to invest some of the victim’s money. If the victim consents, they are sometimes shown a crypto trading platform controlled by the scammers, and encouraged to sign up and begin depositing funds.
One victim, a former Somerset police officer, lost £107,000 to such a scam, believing she was investing in retirement apartments in Cyprus.
Ms Barber added: “The sad theme of all these scams is that tech platforms – whether social media, app stores or payment services – don’t always keep you safe. Tech platforms and the government need to up their game.”
“To avoid the scam, look out for signs of ‘love-bombing’, attempts to move on to a private messaging platform, reluctance to meet in person and requests for money or a concerted effort to get the person to ‘invest’.”
Other scams include viral fake posts in community pages worldwide about missing children or elderly people.