Pig butchering is the next “humanitarian global crisis” (feat. Erin West)

About this episode

The episode discusses the growing online investment scam known as 'pig butchering' and its impact on victims worldwide.

This is the story of the world’s worst scam and how it is being used to fuel entire underground economies that have the power to rival nation-states across the globe. This is the story of “pig butchering.” “Pig butchering” is a violent term that is used to describe a growing type of online investment scam that has ruined the lives of countless victims all across the world. No age group is spared, nearly no country is untouched, and, if the numbers are true,  with more than $6.5 billion stolen in 2024 alone , no scam might be more serious today, than this. Despite this severity, like many types of online fraud today, most pig-butchering scams start with a simple “hello.” Sent through text or as a direct message on social media platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, or elsewhere, these initial communications are often framed as simple mistakes—a kind stranger was given your number by accident, and if you reply, you’re given a kind apology and a simple lure: “You seem like such a kind person… where are you from?” Here, the scam has already begun. Pig butchers, like romance scammers, build emotional connections with their victims. For months, their messages focus on everyday…

People in this episode

Host: Malwarebytes

Guest: Erin West

Topics covered

• online scams
• pig butchering
• investment fraud
• cryptocurrency
• emotional manipulation

Keywords

• pig butchering
• scams
• investment
• cryptocurrency
• fraud
• online safety
• emotional connection

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Malwarebytes

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