DA high-tech investigators make rare arrest for “Pig Butchering,” release video PSA
For release on December 11, 2024
CONTACT:
James Gibbons-Shapiro
Assistant District Attorney
(408) 792-2985
[email protected]
DA high-tech investigators make rare arrest for “Pig Butchering,” release video PSA
The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has arrested, charged, and is prosecuting two people for using a growing international scam called “Pig Butchering” to try to steal more than $500,000 from a local elderly man.
To accomplish the extremely rare arrest, DA high-tech investigators pretended to be someone else online to trick the scammers into sending the defendants to pick up cash at a local parking lot. This is the same tactic Pig Butcher scammers use to trick victims into sending them money. In this case, the scammers posed as “Aunt Amelia,” a supposed investment banker on Facebook to trick the 66-year-old San Jose man into “investing” money in cybercurrency. He sent them $170,000. They tried to convince him to send almost $348,000 more. Suspicious, he called the DA’s Office. After setting up the cash drop off, DA investigators met the two suspects at a San Jose location and arrested them. The case is being prosecuted by the DA’s High Tech Crime team, and is set for trial in late December.
At the same time, the District Attorney’s Office released a short video on YouTube warning the public about the scam that is leading to thousands of people losing their life savings.
“Pig Butchering” is a nickname intended to illustrate how the scammers slowly, methodically, steal as much as possible of a victim’s money. Many of the scams are perpetrated from compounds in Southeast Asia where human trafficking victims are forced to try to ensnare victims through texting and fake financial websites.
This video may be downloaded and used by the media in any way that promotes awareness in our community about the crime.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said he hopes all potential online scammers will increasingly worry if they are communicating unwittingly with law enforcement instead of victims.
DA Rosen added that prevention was still the key: “The most effective strategy against Pig Butchering is to educate potential victims. Everyone with a cell phone is a potential victim of Pig Butchering. Don’t fall for it.”
The District Attorney’s Office, through its high-tech task force, the Regional Enforcement Allied Computer Team (REACT) has led the way in raising awareness about the evolving crime that costs victims billions of dollars a year. REACT has also recently shut down a website used by scammers to steal money from victims.
In the video, DA Rosen cautions potential victims to be careful responding to unknown texts. If someone feels they may be getting scammed or have been scammed, they should call their local law enforcement agency and ask to speak to financial crimes investigator. The crime should also be reported to the FBI through IC3.gov.
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