Pig Butchering Scam: How Crypto Romance Scams Really Work
"Pig butchering" (Sha Zhu Pan) describes a scam that builds a genuine-feeling relationship over weeks or months before introducing a fake crypto trading platform. It's been reported across the US, UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and Canada. Here's how it actually unfolds, stage by stage.
1related reports on this site
6countries this pattern is tracked in
Freealways, no signup
🚨 Why this scam works: Unlike a cold-pitch investment scam, there's no immediate ask for money. The relationship comes first — sometimes for months — which is exactly why victims trust the eventual "opportunity" more than they would a stranger's pitch.
How a pig butchering scam usually unfolds
1Contact, often by accident
A message arrives via a dating app, social media, or even a "wrong number" text. The conversation feels natural and unhurried — there's no pitch yet.
2Weeks or months of relationship-building
The scammer invests real time: daily messages, shared photos, talk of meeting one day, sometimes even voice or video calls. This stage exists purely to build trust.
3The "opportunity" appears, almost incidentally
The scammer mentions their own trading success, or a relative who trades crypto professionally — never a direct pitch, more like sharing good fortune with someone they care about.
4Small wins build confidence
The victim deposits a small amount on a platform that looks like a real exchange. Early "profits" appear, and small withdrawals may even be allowed to work, building genuine trust.
5Larger deposits, then blocked withdrawal
Once a significant sum is deposited, withdrawal requests get blocked — a "tax," a "verification fee," or a "minimum balance" is suddenly required. The money does not come back regardless of what's paid.
This pattern on our site
🐷
Pig Butchering (Sha Zhu Pan)
Long-term romance or friendship scam that slowly lures victims into fake crypto trading platforms.
How this differs from a direct investment scam
Worth knowing the difference, since the follow-through looks similar but the setup doesn't: a direct investment/crypto scam pitches you immediately, often as a cold message or ad. Pig butchering is slower and relationship-first — the trading platform is the second act, not the opening line.
Reported in these countries
This pattern is tracked across six countries in our database — tap any to see local reports:
Warning signs
- The relationship feels unusually fast and intense for an online-only connection, with daily attention from someone who can never quite meet in person.
- They eventually mention crypto trading, often framed as a relative's success or their own side income — not as advice aimed at you specifically, at first.
- The "platform" looks professional but is unfamiliar — not a well-known exchange, and often only accessible through a link or app they send directly.
- Withdrawals get blocked with a new fee each time, always just one more payment away from releasing the funds.
- They discourage you from telling friends or family, or get defensive if you ask basic questions about the platform.
💡
Quick check: if someone you've been messaging shares a phone number, search it on
SearchMobileNumber — you'll see if others have already reported it.
What to do if you're targeted
- Stop sending money immediately, including any "fee" requested to release a withdrawal — this is part of the scam, not a real obstacle to clear.
- Save everything: chat logs, transaction records, the platform's URL, and any names or numbers used.
- Contact your bank or crypto exchange's fraud team as soon as possible — speed matters more than anything else for recovery odds.
- Report it to your country's fraud reporting body (for example, the FTC in the US, Action Fraud in the UK, or your local cybercrime unit).
- Report any number involved here so others searching it see the warning.
Frequently asked questions
What is a "pig butchering" scam?
Pig butchering (a translation of the Chinese term "Sha Zhu Pan") is a long-term scam where a stranger builds a romantic or friendly relationship with the victim over weeks or months — often starting on a dating app or social media — before introducing a "guaranteed profit" crypto trading platform. The relationship itself is the setup; the financial loss comes later, once trust is established.
How is this different from a normal crypto investment scam?
A direct investment scam pitches you immediately — a cold message or ad promising guaranteed returns. Pig butchering is slower and more deliberate: there's no pitch for weeks, just a genuine-feeling relationship. The trading platform is introduced almost as an afterthought, often through a story about the scammer's own success or a relative's trading.
Why do the early "trades" on the fake platform seem to work?
The fake trading app shows real-looking profits at first, and victims are often allowed to withdraw a small amount early on to build confidence. Once a larger sum is deposited, withdrawals get blocked with excuses — a tax payment required, a verification fee, a minimum balance — and the money does not come back.
I've sent money to someone I met online who suggested a trading app — what should I do?
Stop sending any further money immediately, including any 'fee' requested to unlock a withdrawal — this is part of the scam, not a real obstacle. Save all chat logs, transaction records, and the platform's URL. Report it to your country's fraud reporting body and your bank or crypto exchange's fraud team as soon as possible.
Related guides
Got a suspicious number?
Search it, see if others have reported it, and add your own experience to help protect the community.
🔍 Check a number now