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How ‘pig butchering’ romance scams siphon millions from Californians every year
Los Angeles Daily News ^ | 10/13/2024 | Jason Henry

Posted on 10/14/2024 7:40:00 AM PDT by vespa300

It started with a small $1,000 cryptocurrency investment, but by the time the Santa Monica-based software developer realized the truth, he’d turned over $740,000 with no hope of getting it back. He liquidated stocks, emptied his savings and drained his retirement.

If a friend hadn’t intervened, he would have lost his home, too, all in the hopes of covering the “taxes” needed to withdraw the $2 million he’d supposedly made from cryptocurrency trades his love interest had recommended.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: fraud; pig; scam
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Suckers born every minute I guess.....
1 posted on 10/14/2024 7:40:00 AM PDT by vespa300
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To: vespa300

I’ve never understood how someone can believe they ‘love’ - or even really KNOW - a person they’ve only met online.


2 posted on 10/14/2024 7:53:51 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: vespa300

Online dating RARELY works out well.

The minute someone starts talking money.... RUN!!!!!!!

Greed will get you every time.

There are plenty of legitimate financial institutions which can help with an investment portfolio.


3 posted on 10/14/2024 7:56:14 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: Jamestown1630

They can’t.

They are infatuated with a mirage or illusion.


4 posted on 10/14/2024 7:58:59 AM PDT by metmom (He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”)
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To: metmom
The minute someone starts talking money.... RUN!!!!!!!

The introduction of which is the tricky part in all cons.

It is the ultimate goal owever, to separate the rube from the money.

5 posted on 10/14/2024 8:00:59 AM PDT by going hot (Happiness is a Momma deuce)
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To: Jamestown1630

From what I read in r/scams, the romance ripoffs usually target 70+ year old men. I imagine that some dementia is involved as well as ego and perhaps loneliness.


6 posted on 10/14/2024 8:01:18 AM PDT by Persevero (You cannot comply your way out of tyranny. )
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To: vespa300

It’s also a consequence of the “loneliness epidemic” in our society.


7 posted on 10/14/2024 8:01:32 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: metmom

There are plenty of legitimate financial institutions which can help with an investment portfolio, EVENTUALLY REDUCING IT TO NOTHING AS WELL.


8 posted on 10/14/2024 8:05:26 AM PDT by Sequoyah101 (More important than why there was nobody protecting the AGR roof, how did Crooks know that?)
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To: vespa300

There are a lot of pig butchers on Truth Social. They’re easy to spot. A sexy girl will follow you. She has just joined TS, has a few followers and is following many. If you follow back, she will private message and the game is on.


9 posted on 10/14/2024 8:06:24 AM PDT by DeplorablePaul
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To: vespa300

It’d be fun to turn the tables on them and butcher the pig who’s attempting to butcher you ... but that would take too much time, I suppose.


10 posted on 10/14/2024 8:06:37 AM PDT by glennaro (2024: The Year of The Reckoning, lest our Republic succumb to the "progressive" disease of the Left)
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To: metmom

‘Online dating’ is really meant to be ‘online introduction’ followed up by in person meeting once you both get an idea you might be compatible.


11 posted on 10/14/2024 8:12:32 AM PDT by posterchild
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To: vespa300

This is similar to another scam posted here a while ago.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3896189/replies?c=3


12 posted on 10/14/2024 8:13:23 AM PDT by posterchild
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To: DeplorablePaul

Sex is a powerful drug. It has caused as much destruction and ruined as many lives as anything else I guess.

Dennis Prager says he has 2 questions for God when he sees him. 1. Why did you make the mosquito? 2. Why did you make the sex urge/drive in the male so strong?

It has ruined millions.......

You notice when Adam and Eve sinned, the Bible says they covered their nakedness with “Aprons.”.......then the Bible says God came down, saw their nakedness and “Clothed them with coats.”

Females are involved in this scam and there will be justice....both male and female. Justice from God.


13 posted on 10/14/2024 8:16:38 AM PDT by vespa300
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To: posterchild

hahaha.....funny.....:)


14 posted on 10/14/2024 8:19:06 AM PDT by vespa300
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To: glennaro

>>>It’d be fun to turn the tables on them and butcher the pig who’s attempting to butcher you ... but that would take too much time, I suppose.>>>>

Yeah, and it might involve buying them dinner, hand holding and all that stuff....


15 posted on 10/14/2024 8:20:17 AM PDT by vespa300
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To: glennaro
One occasionally sees fun stories on reddit of people who successfully manipulated and extracted a small amount from the pig butchers when they realized what was going on. But obviously that's a drop in the bucket.

The sad thing is the contacts in these schemes are usually not the real criminals. Many/most are basically slaves (enticed to a "good job offer" thanks to the foreign language skills) working in a prison-like call center compound in northern Burma or Cambodia or someplace like that, with Chinese or other gangs beating them when they don't meet quota.

16 posted on 10/14/2024 8:30:50 AM PDT by EnderWiggin1970
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To: vespa300

“While some pig butchering scams start with a “wrong number” text out of nowhere...”

That explains a “wrong number” text I got a few months ago. I didn’t pursue it.


17 posted on 10/14/2024 8:38:40 AM PDT by KrisKrinkle (c)
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To: vespa300

a stupid fool and his money ...


18 posted on 10/14/2024 8:43:22 AM PDT by catnipman ((A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil))
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To: KrisKrinkle

The only ‘wrong number’ I’ve ever gotten was a text from a sweet old couple trying to contact a friend and discussing a recent visit, church issues, etc. They seemed so nice I was tempted to respond...


19 posted on 10/14/2024 8:47:29 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: vespa300

All the 22-year-old women who follow me on Instagram are real and really do think I’m sexy.


20 posted on 10/14/2024 8:52:36 AM PDT by ArcadeQuarters (You can't remove RINOs by voting for them!)
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