Just a brief observation on what I believe is a more accurate and up-to-date way to describe investment and romance scams in general.
There’s no doubt that many of these schemes did originate in Nigeria, and Nigerian criminal groups became highly skilled at orchestrating them. But the truth is more nuanced: many scams modeled on the 419 format have been carried out by fraudsters in Eastern Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
The Legacy of “Nigerian Scams”
For decades, these scams were known as Nigerian 419 scams, or simply Nigerian scams—with 419 referring to the section of Nigeria’s criminal code dealing with fraud.
Over the years, global co-conspirators have played supporting roles—setting up shell companies, laundering money, and expanding the reach of these criminal enterprises.
Enter: Pig Butchering
Today, the term that’s gaining traction is Pig Butchering—a phrase that originated in China. As I explained in a recent post, “The Pig Butchering Scamdemic,” the scam involves long-term emotional grooming of the victim—fattening the “pig” before the financial slaughter.
Scam Profile: Same Tactics, New Name
In a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Millions Stolen, Death Threats: Should Banks Do More to Fight Pig Butchering?”, an elderly couple was profiled after being defrauded of millions of dollars and threatened with violence unless they continued to pay.
While the con followed the familiar patterns of a romance-investment scam—a setup we might have once labeled “Nigerian”—the article called it Pig Butchering, with no mention of the scam’s country of origin.
The WSJ described the trend like this:
“Operating from compounds in Southeast Asia and West Africa, criminal gangs have mastered the art of building trust with victims—or fattening up their ‘pigs.’ Scammers cultivate romantic connections with victims while posing as savvy investors… Many end up losing their life savings.”
Crypto vs. Wire Transfers: A False Distinction?
Some argue that Pig Butchering is distinct from older scams because of its use of cryptocurrency rather than traditional wire transfers.
But in reality, if a scammer based in Southeast Asia can’t convince a victim to use crypto, they’ll gladly settle for wire transfers, gift cards, or any method that gets them paid. The tech has changed— but the con remains the same.
Why “Pig Butchering” Fits Better
In my view, the term Pig Butchering is simply a more accurate and modern descriptor for all such scams—regardless of whether they originate in Nigeria, Southeast Asia, or elsewhere.
What we once labeled as “Nigerian scams” were really early iterations of today’s global fraud landscape.
Global Problem, Global Players
This is no longer a regional issue. Every country in the world is now touched by these scams—either as a source, a facilitator, or a victim.
Calling them all Pig Butchering scams moves the focus away from outdated stereotypes and toward the true nature of the threat: a borderless, tech-driven, psychologically sophisticated fraud epidemic.
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