Authorities are raising concerns about a new twist on a common scam involving fake cryptocurrency investments that target individuals using their phones or laptops, regardless of whether they’re investing a small sum or a substantial amount.
This scheme, known as ‘pig butchering,’ preys on victims by gaining their trust before financially devastating them.
Prosecutors are combating this issue with a two-pronged approach: educating potential victims and tracking the vast sums of stolen cryptocurrency. Victims often don’t report their losses due to embarrassment.
Scammers typically steal identities and befriend individuals through social media, ultimately convincing them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency accounts. West advises caution when strangers reach out.
The Reach Task Force, led by West, collaborates with local police, state agencies, federal authorities, and international law enforcement to combat high-tech organized crime. The FBI estimates that overseas scammers defrauded victims of over $3.3 billion in the last year alone.
Victims often suffer substantial financial losses, and law enforcement struggles to trace the money quickly enough. Increasing awareness is considered a crucial step in minimizing this scam’s success.
One victim, identified as Ben Young, lost his family’s life savings, and his story illustrates the devastating impact of these scams. Young initially invested a few thousand dollars and later deposited $1 million, including his daughter’s college tuition savings. He faced guilt, fear, and a loss of self-confidence.
While Young managed to recover about 8% of his life savings with West’s team’s help, many others continue to suffer. Law enforcement emphasizes that education is essential in combatting these persistent scams, as scammers rarely change their tactics.
Young shares his story to warn others about these life-altering online scams and help fellow victims in need. A coalition of law enforcement officers has expanded significantly in response to the growing scale of this online scheme.
To protect oneself, authorities recommend carefully assessing the necessity and benefit of accepting online friend requests or LinkedIn invitations. These scams often originate in countries like Myanmar and Cambodia but are coordinated by crime syndicates based in China.
By FCCT Editorial Team
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