Alert : Romance scam and fake crypto investments – Pig Butchering 2.0 automated through AI-driven conversations

This scam begins with an online relationship (friendly or romantic) before shifting to a “great opportunity” involving cryptocurrency investment. Stay alert: here is how to recognise it and protect yourself.

Pig Butchering 2.0

“Pig Butchering 2.0” is a scam in which a fake contact builds trust over time, then directs you to a fraudulent investment platform. Exchanges may be industrialised through automated messages that maintain the relationship and repeatedly follow up with the victim.

How it works

The fraudster approaches you on a social network, dating app or messaging service, using a credible profile and smooth conversation. They nurture the connection daily, then gradually introduce the idea of a “simple” and “profitable” investment, often through an unfamiliar app or website.
The aim is to get you to deposit money (bank transfers, crypto, cards) on a platform controlled by the scammers, with displayed gains but withdrawals blocked or made conditional on additional “fees”.

Warning signs : profile that is too perfect or inconsistent, a relationship that shifts towards money, promises of steady returns, unrecognised platform, pressure to act quickly, requests for secrecy, difficulty or impossibility withdrawing funds, “taxes/fees” required to unlock a withdrawal, move to WhatsApp/Telegram.

Some advice:

• 🛑 Refuse any financial advice from someone you met online
• 🔎 Verify identity: reverse image search, inconsistencies, account history
• 🏦 Never transfer money to an unknown or unverified platform
• 📉 Be wary of displayed “profits”: an interface can be entirely fabricated
• ⛔ If a withdrawal is “blocked” and you are asked to pay to release it: stop, this is a major red flag
• 📵 Cut contact and keep evidence (screenshots, addresses, IBAN, crypto TXID)
• 👥 Speak to someone you trust before making any decision: isolation is a weapon used by scammers

Conclusion

If you believe you are being targeted, stop sending money and do not try to “recover” your funds by paying additional fees. Report the profile, the platform and the messages, and gather as much evidence as possible (screenshots, links, numbers, wallet addresses).
Reporting helps limit further victims: submit a report on official platforms and inform those around you.

• Report online (UK): reportfraud.police.uk
• Report online (US): reportfraud.ftc.gov (US)
• Financial warnings and investor information (UK): fca.org.uk (UK)
• Financial warnings and investor information (US): investor.gov (US)

To go further and adopt the right reflexes when facing online scams, also consult:

• Protect yourself from fraud and respond effectively
• Useful tools and websites to check and report a scam

Written by : René Ronse
Methodology : Our alert articles are based on regular monitoring of national reporting platforms, feedback from victims, and statements issued by relevant authorities.
About the author : René Ronse, manager of ArnaqueOuFiable.com. Expert in consumer cybersecurity, specialist in detecting online fraud, product transparency, and digital compliance. He has over 20 years of experience analyzing hidden subscription mechanisms, unreadable terms and conditions, aggressive sales tactics, and deceptive commercial practices on the web.
Last updated : 10 March 2026.
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