Romance & “Pig Butchering” Crypto Scams

“Pig butchering” is one of the most devastating crypto scams because it targets your trust, not just your wallet. The scammer builds a relationship over weeks or months — romantic or friendly — before leading you into a fake investment that takes everything.

How it unfolds

1. The approach. A “wrong number” text, a dating-app match, or a friendly DM starts a warm conversation.
2. The grooming. Over weeks they build trust and affection, rarely mentioning money at first.
3. The hook. They casually mention how well they're doing with crypto and offer to help you.
4. The fake platform. You're guided to a fraudulent exchange showing fake profits.
5. The slaughter. You deposit more and more; when you try to withdraw, it's gone.

Warning signs

• An online-only contact who quickly becomes very close.
• They steer the conversation toward investing.
• A “special” platform only they introduced you to.
• Early small “withdrawals” that work (to build trust) before bigger deposits.
• Reluctance to video call or meet in person.

How to protect yourself and others

• Never take investment advice from someone you've only met online.
• Be deeply sceptical of any platform introduced by a new contact.
• Talk to friends or family — scammers isolate their targets.
• If you've been targeted, stop, withdraw nothing more for “fees,” and report it.

Trust data, not strangers

Whatever a “mentor” tells you, verify independently. ChainInspector Suite gives you your own, private view of a token's on-chain reality — no one else's narrative.