Pig‑Butchering (Romance‑Investment)
A long‑con relationship funnels victims into a fake trading app or broker, then blocks withdrawals.
Stages of the scam
- Approach: accidental texts, DMs, or dating apps.
- Bonding: daily chats, life plans, staged wealth photos.
- Seeding: “I can show you how I invest”—small early wins.
- Extraction: “VIP” tiers, unlock fees, time‑limited offers.
Protect yourself
- Keep chats on moderated platforms; be wary of moving to private messengers.
- Compare dashboards with on‑chain or bank records.
- Never let others set up or control your wallets.
If you already sent funds
- Stop further payments; screenshot the conversation and dashboard.
- Export wallet addresses and tx IDs; save transfer receipts.
- Begin a dispute/report and include your full timeline.