Pig Butchering: Crypto’s Emerging Human Trafficking And Romance Scam Industry

If you’ve ever gotten a friendly text message from a seemingly wrong number you might have been a target of the latest industrial scale scam targeting wealthy individuals around the world, known as Pig Butchering. In this week’s episode of Public Key, our host, Ian Andrews (CMO at Chainalysis) is joined by Alastair McCready, Southeast Asia Editor of Vice World News, who is based in Cambodia and has been investigating this human trafficking, romance, investment and crypto connected scam from its source. 

Alastair explains how the scammers ensnare their victims by first building friendship and sometimes romance. We also learn that many of the scammers are victims themselves having been trafficked and held against their will forced to work for powerful organized crime rings. Some estimates put the profits from this scheme at more than $1 Billion, with very little resistance from pandemic stricken and financially depleted governments.

Minute-by-minute episode breakdown

(2:05) – What is Pig Butchering and how does it differ from other scams and schemes associated with cryptocurrency 

Check out more resources provided by Chainalysis that perfectly complement this episode of the Public Key.

• Article: From Industrial-Scale Scam Centers, Trafficking Victims Are Being Forced to Steal Billions

• Ian Andrews * Host * (Chief Marketing Officer, Chainalysis) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianhandrews

This website may contain links to third-party sites that are not under the control of Chainalysis, Inc. or its affiliates (collectively “Chainalysis”). Access to such information does not imply association with, endorsement of, approval of, or recommendation by Chainalysis of the site or its operators, and Chainalysis is not responsible for the products, services, or other content hosted therein.

Our podcasts are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to provide legal, tax, financial, or investment advice. Listeners should consult their own advisors before making these types of decisions. Chainalysis has no responsibility or liability for any decision made or any other acts or omissions in connection with your use of this material.

Chainalysis does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, suitability or validity of the information in any particular podcast and will not be responsible for any claim attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies of any part of such material. 

Unless stated otherwise, reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Chainalysis. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by Chainalysis employees are those of the employees and do not necessarily reflect the views of the company.