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Office of the District Attorney
Office of the District Attorney

Tips for victims of Pig Butchering

  1. Take a breath. Know that you are not alone and that some of the best and brightest have fallen victim to this terrible crime.  It is psychologically designed to bring you under its spell.
  2. Collect your evidence. The police will need the following for each time you sent money to the scam: a transaction hash (a mix of letters and numbers that identifies your specific individual transaction) and a deposit address (a mix of letters and numbers that shows the address on the blockchain to which you sent the funds).
  3. Now, get yourself to the police as soon as you can.  I know you’re embarrassed. I know you feel upset and humiliated. That’s natural. But now is the time to hold your head high and be your own best advocate. Time is of the essence. Bad guys move money quickly.
  4. You should go to your local police department. They may not be familiar with pig butchering. They may tell you that this is a civil case. Encourage them to take a look at the John Oliver story from February 2024. Ask to speak to a financial crimes detective. Make sure that your local police department is understanding the crime that is happening in their jurisdiction.
  5. Report to the FBI. Do NOT expect someone to contact you. Every law enforcement agency in the world is overwhelmed with these cases right now, the FBI included. We report to ic3 for two reasons: a) it informs the government how big the problem is so that they can put appropriate resources toward fighting it and b) it records the deposit address to which you sent funds so that they can identify you in the event of a large seizure.
  6. Give yourself grace. You’re understandably in pain and feel exhausted. Let yourself rest and regroup.
  7. And when you’re ready, reach out to victim resources like Kathy Waters at Advocating Against Romance Scammers. Kathy and her team are ready to walk you through the recovery process.
  8. Final thought: You may be considering hiring someone to help you recover your assets. Please make sure that you understand exactly what these companies are promising you. Be wary of spending more money in pursuit of your lost funds.