Pig Butchering - Internet Scams

[Skookum]

Something to be aware of, and watch out for... Basically, scammers get to know you by chatting or messaging. Even if they don't ask you for money, they may chat with or try to befriend you. Ultimately it's a scam to take your money. These don't look like typical Nigerian Prince emails or Gates promising you $1M if you forward his email chain. You might chat with people in a car group, or RV forum, or somewhere else you like to hang out online...

These scammers may tell you about a service or an app that has helped them make extra money on the side. There may be a completely legitimate-looking app or website. People fall for this, and they invest real money. In the app, it shows them their investments are growing and doing well over time, and that's a trigger to get them to invest more. And then, they try to cash out or move money and realize it was all a front, and they'll never recover that money. Be aware of it, warn your friends. Seniors are very susceptible as are many other groups. Stay safe out there!

With ‘pig butchering’ scams on the rise, FBI moves to stop the bleeding

Victims of the sophisticated online con are likened to hogs, fattened up for slaughter.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Krazeehorse33]

Pigs are a remarkable animal. They turn plants into bacon.

 

[LarsMac]

It's truly amazing how often you hear about people being taken by scammers, these days.
As long as people are looking to get something for nothing, they'll far too often end up getting taken, instead.

 

[Domo]

Anyone that contacts you, phone, letter, email, sms, etc. must be considered a scam UNLESS you initiated the contact through your known good contact pathway.

I get a ton of incomplete phone message from my old central office code (the middle three digits). The scam is that people will think it's a neighbor or store down the street. Oftentimes there is a name associated - however, calling that number always reveals some poor soul that's had their number spoofed. So, any from my old central office get ignored.

And, of course, e-mails and sms are just as bad - thank goodness I've figured out how to have my systems automatically block spam and scam...

 

[Kirk]

Lately I have been getting a rash of scam texts. Some come with a link and others want a reply. Recently I got 2 different texts claiming to be Amazon in need of more address information and supplying a link to go to, that I didn't use. We live in a gated community and occasionally Amazon drivers do ask for help but they simply call my cell phone and I give them directions.

 

[ziplock]

@Skookum

How did they get the name pig butchering?

 

[Skookum]

@Skookum

How did they get the name pig butchering?

Farmers feed and care for pigs so they can slaughter them. In this context, a scammer cultivates a relationship and gains trust with the intent of stealing that person's money.

 

[ziplock]

Heck, I guess you could call that many names.

Plain ole dating comes to mind.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Every election cycle I get a lot of text from "scammers" trying to get my vote. They promise the world, and I'm yet to get a COVID check from the government.

Charles

 

[Tulecreeper]

It's truly amazing how often you hear about people being taken by scammers, these days.
As long as people are looking to get something for nothing, they'll far too often end up getting taken, instead.

I agree, it's not like this information to be wary of scammers hasn't been out there for decades. And yet there are millions of people who fall for one scheme or another every year.

My 94-year-old mother will be in her kitchen and the phone in the living room will ring but she doesn't make it fast enough to answer. So what does she do? She calls the number back. I have told her 100 times to stop doing that but she just asks, "What if it's important, like a doctor's office?" I tell her, "If it's a real call from a professional they will leave a message, tell you who they are, and leave a number...always."

She says, "Not everyone wants to talk to a machine." I tell her, "No, you don't want to talk to a machine. Anyone from a doctor's office will." And she still calls the number back.

 

[John From Detroit]

Lately I have been getting a rash of scam texts. Some come with a link and others want a reply. Recently I got 2 different texts claiming to be Amazon in need of more address information and supplying a link to go to, that I didn't use. We live in a gated community and occasionally Amazon drivers do ask for help but they simply call my cell phone and I give them directions.

I like those... I don't live in a gated community but... We have our own Amazon Hub.

 

[Ray-IN]

Pigs are a remarkable animal. They turn plants into bacon.

They turn anything eatable into ham and bacon, they are omnivorous. A hundred years ago it was a good way to dispose of bodies resulting from gang killings.

 

[Wasillaguy]

They turn anything eatable into ham and bacon, they are omnivorous. A hundred years ago it was a good way to dispose of bodies resulting from gang killings.

If it was a good way 100 years ago, chances are it's a good way today.
Or tomorrow.

 

[OldWEB]

They turn anything eatable into ham and bacon, they are omnivorous. A hundred years ago it was a good way to dispose of bodies resulting from gang killings.

Pigs could not blame pigs....

The Horrific Crimes Of Robert Pickton, The Serial Killer Who Fed His Victims To His Pigs

A search of the farm revealed DNA evidence of at least 26 missing women, many of them sex workers or Indigenous women.

allthatsinteresting.com

 

[Tulecreeper]

They turn anything eatable into ham and bacon, they are omnivorous. A hundred years ago it was a good way to dispose of bodies resulting from gang killings.

If it was a good way 100 years ago, chances are it's a good way today.
Or tomorrow.

It is, but it's more of a south-of-the-border thing.