How it works
Wrong number
A “wrong number” text or a friendly message starts a conversation.
Friendship
Weeks of warm chat. They share a successful, happy life.
The tip
They mention a trading app where they make steady profits.
Small win
You invest a little. The screen shows gains. You may even withdraw a small amount.
The trap
You invest more. To withdraw, you must first pay “taxes” or “fees”. Then the site disappears.
How AI makes it worse
The FBI logged more than 22,000 scam complaints involving AI in 2025, with losses of nearly $900 million.2
What the evidence says
Warning signs
- A stranger who “texted the wrong number” keeps chatting.
- Talk of crypto, gold or forex profits from someone you have never met.
- A platform you can only reach through a link they sent.
- You must pay a fee or “tax” to take out your own money.
Protect yourself
- Never invest on the advice of someone you only know online.
- Check the platform with your country’s financial regulator before paying anything.
- If you have to pay to withdraw, it is a scam. Stop paying.
See a demonstration
Demonstration coming soon
A fake trading platform, explained
Walk through a fake dashboard and see how the “profits” are made up.
Advice on this page follows official guidance from the sources below.
Sources
- Official sourceINTERPOL urges end to ‘Pig Butchering’ term, cites harm to online victims
- Official source2025 IC3 Annual Report
- Official sourceCryptocurrency and AI Scams Bilk Americans of Billions (2025 Internet Crime Report)
- Official sourceHundreds of thousands trafficked into online criminality in Southeast Asia (report briefing)