Pig Butchering Scams: A Dangerous New Threat to the Digital Economy
You wouldn’t guess from the name, but pig butchering scams are among the most destructive financial frauds we’ve seen in recent years. These scams—called “Sha Zhu Pan” in Chinese—don’t rely on speed or brute force. Instead, they’re built on patience, trust, and manipulation. The concept is chilling: scammers spend weeks, sometimes months, building a relationship with their target. They make them feel safe. Then, when the victim’s guard is completely down—and often when they’ve already invested substantial money—they vanish. The damage is done. These scams often blend romance fraud with fake crypto investment platforms. They’re complex, global in scope, and devastatingly effective. If you’re in compliance or running a FinTech platform, understanding how they work isn’t optional—it’s necessary.
