Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

 

[Frodsley54]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

What i have come across lately is people wanting to purchase your items advertised on Market place and are willing to pay right now sight unseen asking if you accept Pay ID and to hold the item as someone will come pick it up.

 

[Babbie]

I don’t ever engage in any conversation with someone I don’t know. Same old story over and over .

 

[margiiazul]

I have to agree with everything Suzanne Rose said.

The whole scamming thing is out there, and everyone knows about them, so it never ceases to amaze the number of people that are still being taken in. The people who get scammed are either very ignorant or just plain stupid.

 

[margiiazul]

People who get scammed are not always stupid etc. Scammers also target the elderly and people who are not really computer literate and don’t understand .

 

[kenrconn]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Just a few days ago I got a call from “Visa/Mastercard security department”. The first thing that I thought was that I didn’t know that Visa and Mastercard shared a security department. I still don’t know but it made me suspicious. I was then asked by the guy who had a very thick African accent whether I had authorised a payment to someone in New Zealand. I hadn’t but thinking that this was a lead up to a scam I played along And told him that I hadn’t authorised such payment. Next he told me that Visa/Mastercard had stopped a payment for Au$208 but to be sure would I log into my bank account to see that it had not gone through. I asked him which bank was he talking about and he said, hesitantly, Commonwealth Bank (in Australia). I put surprised voice on and said “Commonwealth?” he immediately changed it to NAB. Well as I don’t bank with either of those I now knew it was a scam. But I played along a bit more. He asked me to log into my bank account to check the balance and transactions. I was sitting at my laptop at the time so that only took a few seconds. I assured him that my account was in good order. He then asked me to tell him what the numbers were at the top of the screen. He said that he needed this to verify that it was all OK. I pretended not to know what he was referring to so he described the line starting with “HTTPS…” And wanted the numbers that followed. I know that this would be the IP address and possibly could link directly into my bank account So I told him that there were no numbers just the name of the bank and some other words. He got inpatient and started swearing at me so I hung up on him. Many people who are not so suspicious may have given the details asked for. I consider myself to be very aware of scams so will lead these criminals along so as to waste their time And maybe saving someone else from being scammed.

 

[Isis]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Pleased she was caught but the scams when you think logically about them they are getting to be obvious as they are exposed. I post everyone on f book and a lot disappear. The emotional calls from family horrendous, but again take a breath hang up and ring the family member.

 

[Shane/#]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Bloody parasites need to be shut down for good and jailed

 

[Jest]

what i do not understand is why is it money that fools people. GREED???? I have on my samsung a warning of scam calls where i go in and block.

 

[maxesmum]

I’m constantly telling my husband,don’t click links,banks,Microsoft,paypal,Amazon and all the rest NEVER make housecalls and,no we don’t need new a/c hoods,shower heads,solar,lightswitches and whatever the hell else they are flogging! Imagine my utter delight when I upgraded my phone and it TELLS me when the call is spam! Oh,joy!

 

[LynS]

People who get scammed are not always stupid etc. Scammers also target the elderly and people who are not really computer literate and don’t understand .

I still maintain that there is enough publicity about scams, so that people should not get caught or respond to anything that is a little bit dodgy.

 

[ainad2552]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Thank you for this helpful information. The phone company I am aligned with enabled me to be part of their suspected spam system, whereby if someone rings me and the phone company deems it to be suspect they will automatically block that call. It appears on my call list as "Suspected Spam" and does not ring on my phone. Also my golden rule is, if I don't recognise the number I don't answer it. If they leave a message I may ring back, but if they don't I certainly don't return the call. Hope this helps.

 

[888D.C888]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

Very interesting and informative read. Thank you

 

[KSS]

The answer to your question is NO, the government doesn't seem to think it is part of their brief to help the taxpayers to stop or recover from these scams they are only thinking how lucky they are in a far better financial position than us, especially us pensioners.

I do wish people would stop expecting everyone else to stop the scams including the Government. Virtually all these scams originate overseas. Our Government has no jurisdiction anywhere except in Australia. Likewise, our police and Federal police also have no jurisdiction if your money goes overseas.

The answer is to question everything, take the advice we are constantly given, and check everything even if you think it is your child asking for money. Use a different method to contact them including calling what is meant to be their old phone they say they dropped in the toilet! And recent acquaintances will never ask you for money no matter how good the 'investment'. After all, if the investment is that great, they can give you the money to 'invest' right?

 

[KSS]

Don't forget, these scammers use every method possible, even stating that they are a new energy company and offering a 'better deal.' They state that they can switch your energy, phone, internet, even tv connections to better deals. Most companies now have people signed up with their bank account or credit card(s) to pay the bills when due date. The scammers are after anything that they can get.

Everyone needs to ignore the calls and/or the phone messages. If people are interested, NEVER EVER call the number quoted on the email or phone message. ONE NEVER DOES THAT, OR CLICK ON THE LINK. Instead, to investigate if the deal is legit get onto the Internet and put in the company's name and bring up the internet site yourself. Never through the link, as they are fake and actually also connects people's phone and computer/phone internet connections to the scammers. If a scam, the company will tell you that it's 'A Scam' and these days the companies have A Scam Dept. they will ask for details of the email and/or phone message, the link that's there ... how it reads, who it's from. They will pass on that information to their Scam dept. so they know if it's an old one they are investigating, trying to track down or a new one to add for their investigation team. Most companies have Scam Protection Departments these days, even insurance companies, all banks, financial companies.

It's ALWAYS a case of NEVER EVER TRUST and look up the actual phone number yourself. The phone numbers that these scammers use may be very similar to the legit phone for that company and just one number out in the middle. So, again, 'never ever' phone the number they have quotes. Never ever, click on the link.

If it's the company that you use like a phone company, get an old bill that you have, even if they email their invoices to you, look up the previous month and call the number on that bill.

The banks should be ordered that money transferred has to be put ON HOLD FOR 30-60-90 Days, depending on the amount and legitimate companies will just have to learn to wait. The banks can then email/message their customer and let them know possible scammer. That money On Hold and they have 30-90 days to stop any transfer and if they are concerned to call them, even speak to a family member for help. This 'Period of Time' will stop many scammers stealing money.

All banks & financial institutions worldwide should enforce this and people and companies just have to wait. They and people will just have to get use to the 'wait times.'

Delaying money transfers is just not realistic in these days of worldwide 24 hour 7 days a week business. And it is not for the bank to decide how, when, or with whom I choose to spend my money. Frankly, I do not want to be challenged by my bank or any financial institution for that matter especially when as an adult I am responsible for the decisions I make. And neither, I suspect, would you.

 

[roderickg@aussiebroadband]

Most of us are likely familiar with the classic scam technique employed by fraudsters to swindle money through deceptive 'wrong number' text messages. Disguising themselves as a trusted family member or friend or reputable companies, they prey on unsuspecting individuals.

This scam doesn't discriminate based on vulnerability alone; it affects individuals across all walks of life – everyone can fall prey to the allure of quick financial gain.

Recently, a variation of the 'wrong number' scam has emerged abroad, known as the 'pig butchering' scam.

This particular scheme involves luring victims with a false promise, much like the process of feeding and fattening a pig, only to mercilessly exploit them by syphoning off their hard-earned money.

View attachment 19978

A cybersecurity researcher engaged with a scammer for three months to uncover how elaborate the scheme would be. Credit: Unsplash/Adem AY.

It's disheartening to realise that these scams persist and adapt, relentlessly exploiting unsuspecting individuals. As technology advances, scammers devise new tactics and techniques to deceive people and amass profits.

To shed light on the inner workings of these deceptive schemes, Sean Gallagher, a renowned cybersecurity expert, took a daring step. He decided to become the bait and expose himself to a scam firsthand.

Gallagher's encounter began with a text message from a mysterious individual named Harley, who initially reached out to him under the pretence of a wrong number.

Rather than becoming upset or ignoring the message, Gallagher chose a different approach. He decided to respond and engage in conversation, effectively playing along and fostering a pseudo-friendship with his scammer.

Over the course of three months, Gallagher and Harley's conversation progressed, with Harley sharing more personal details, including information about her past relationship and the struggles her business faced due to the pandemic. To further solidify the illusion of credibility, Harley even sent him photos and videos.

As their 'friendship' continued, Harley began to come up with stories of success, especially of her lucrative investments in cryptocurrency. These tales of wealth gradually escalated, with Harley boasting about her growing fortune and offering Gallagher the opportunity to invest with her.

It was at this point that Gallagher knew he was the target of a 'pig butchering' scam. He had been lured in with the promise of friendship, only to be slowly and meticulously groomed for financial exploitation.

Before Gallagher could reveal Harley's true identity as a fraudster, he managed to track her down to a real 'Bitcoin' cryptocurrency account, exposing the extent of her criminal activity. It was discovered that Harley had stolen almost $4.4 million from her victims.

View attachment 19992​

The 'wrong number' text scam is often used on dating apps, where scammers pose as potential romantic partners, using fake profiles to lure in unsuspecting victims.

According to Gallagher, many other scams use an 'urgent call to action' to manipulate their victims into acting quickly without thinking things through. For example, a scammer might send a text impersonating a company, claiming that the victim has an outstanding fine that must be paid immediately, or they risk incurring severe penalties.

However, with pig butchering scams, the approach is much more patient and subtle.

'They are in it for a very long time, as we demonstrated in this case,' he explained. 'They use the whole process of building a relationship and building trust to erode away any sort of inkling you might have — that something is amiss by just the length of engagements.'

To understand how the scammers behind the pig butchering scam operate, Gallagher used the conversations he had with 'Harley' to track down the scammers' location and uncover their mode of operation.

He discovered that 'Harley' was actually a team of scammers working out of Cambodia, using a woman as a front for their conversations. The team was also connected to another operation in China, which Gallagher said was using cryptocurrency to launder money.

Through their investigation, Gallagher and his team were able to trace the crypto wallets used by the scammers to transfer funds. They found that the operation had scammed millions of dollars, with over $4.4 million worth of cryptocurrency pushed through those wallets from October to the end of their research.

Key Takeaways

• In a bid to better understand the world of online scams, cybersecurity expert Sean Gallagher allowed himself to become the target of a 'pig butchering' scammer named Harley.
• Over a period of three months, Harley slowly built a sense of trust and friendship with Gallagher before attempting to lure him into investing in her fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
• In the end, Gallagher was able to track Harley down and expose her for stealing almost $4.4 million from unsuspecting victims.

Sadly, this type of scam isn't an uncommon situation.

That is why we always have to be wary of any texts from unknown numbers that appear earnest and appear to tell you urgent things that you need to act on. Also, be wary of someone claiming to create a sense of trust with you.

Have you ever engaged in conversations with potential scammers online? What were some warning signs or red flags that made you suspicious? Share your stories with us in the comments!

So what happened then?