Have you ever gotten one of those text messages, out of nowhere, from a number you don’t know, from someone thinking you’re someone else? These messages might be the digital bait in a global phishing operation designed to hook unsuspecting victims to eventually give up all the money they have to criminals half a world away. These scams may start with a text message. They could begin with a conversation on a dating app. But the scammers on the other side know how to reel people in and take them to the financial slaughterhouse. This type of scam is called “pig butchering.” Erin West is a Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County, California, and a central figure in the fight to combat “pig butchering.” She spoke with Designated host, Yaya Jata Fanusie, to help understand how “pig butchering” scams work and the steps we can take to keep from becoming a victim.
A text message out of nowhere, from a number you don’t know, from someone thinking you’re someone else. These messages might represent the digital bait in a global phishing operation called “pig butchering.” These scams may start with a text message. They could begin with a conversation on a dating app. But the scammers on the other side know how to reel people in and take them to the financial slaughterhouse. Erin West is a Deputy District Attorney for Santa Clara County, California, and a central figure in the fight to combat “pig butchering.” She spoke with Designated host, Yaya Jata Fanusie, to help understand how “pig butchering” scams work and the steps we can take to keep from becoming a victim.