What Is a “Pig Butchering” Scam? How to Spot and Avoid It If you’ve been getting unexpected messages from someone who seems too charming or too eager to help you invest, you might be in the early stage of a “pig butchering” scam. The name comes from scammers “fattening up” their victims with friendship or romance before stealing large sums of money—often in cryptocurrency. ...
What Is a “Pig Butchering” Scam? How to Spot and Avoid This Investment Fraud If you’ve received an unsolicited text from a stranger who quickly wants to be friends, then mentions a “can’t-miss” crypto opportunity, you may be targeted by a pig butchering scam. These scams combine romance fraud with fake investment schemes, and state authorities are warning the public as losses climb into the billions. ...
What Are ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams? How to Spot and Avoid Them If you’ve ever received an unexpected text from a stranger who seems a little too friendly, or matched with someone on a dating app who quickly steers the conversation toward “investment opportunities,” you may have encountered a pig butchering scam. The term is grim but descriptive: fraudsters “fatten up” their victims with trust and affection before “slaughtering” them financially. ...
What Is a “Pig Butchering” Scam? How to Spot and Avoid This Devastating Fraud If you receive an unsolicited message on a dating app, social media, or even a text from a “wrong number,” be cautious. That friendly stranger could be a scammer running a “pig butchering” scheme—a hybrid of romance fraud and fake investment opportunities that has cost victims billions. Recent alerts from authorities, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, underscore how widespread and destructive this scam has become. ...
Pig Butchering Scams: How They Work and How to Protect Yourself A new alert from the New York Attorney General sheds light on a growing cryptocurrency fraud that combines romance and investment tricks. If you spend time on dating apps, social media, or messaging platforms, you may have encountered a friendly stranger who gradually steers the conversation toward cryptocurrency investing. That stranger could be running a “pig butchering” scam—a scheme that has cost Americans billions in recent years. ...
How to Spot and Avoid “Pig Butchering” Scams: A Practical Guide If you’ve received an unexpected text from a wrong number or a friend request from a stranger who quickly turns flirtatious, you might be the target of what authorities now call a “pig butchering” scam. The New York State Attorney General recently issued a consumer alert about this growing fraud, and the tactics are worth understanding because the losses can be severe. ...
How to Spot and Avoid ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams: A Consumer Alert In February 2026, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a public warning about a growing type of fraud known as “pig butchering.” The name is grim but descriptive: scammers “fatten up” victims with fake relationships and small, believable returns before slaughtering them financially. The warning from the AG’s office isn’t just for New Yorkers—these scams are spreading across the country. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself. ...
Pig Butchering Scams: Warning from New York Attorney General and How to Protect Yourself If you have received an unsolicited message from a stranger who later suggests you invest in cryptocurrency, you may be the target of a “pig butchering” scam. The term comes from the practice of fattening a pig before slaughter—here, scammers spend weeks or months building a relationship with you, gain your trust, and then convince you to pour money into a fake investment platform. Once you deposit enough, they disappear with everything. ...
What Is a “Pig Butchering” Scam? New York AG Warns of Rising Crypto Swindle On February 17, 2026, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert about a growing type of fraud known as “pig butchering.” The name is grim but fitting: scammers “fatten up” their victims with trust and affection before slaughtering their finances. These schemes combine elements of romance scams and fake cryptocurrency investments, and they have become increasingly common and costly. ...
Attorney General Warning: How to Spot and Avoid Pig Butchering Scams A new consumer alert from the New York Attorney General’s office puts a spotlight on “pig butchering” scams—a particularly cruel form of fraud that combines fake romance with bogus cryptocurrency investments. The term itself is crude but descriptive: scammers “fatten up” their victims with affection and false trust before slaughtering their finances. Understanding how these schemes operate can help you avoid becoming the next target. ...