We don’t like playing this game, but we feel compelled to educate our clients as much as possible. So, imagine being lured into a seemingly innocent conversation online, only to end up financially gutted like a prize pig at the county fair. Welcome to the world of pig butchering scams. Add in your classic phishing schemes, and you’ve got a cyber buffet of tricks designed to steal your hard-earned cash and personal info.
The purpose of this blog post is to help you learn to sharpen your scam-spotting senses, keep your wallet (and dignity) intact.
What are Pig Butchering Scams?
The simplest way to put it is this: pig butchering scams are long-con frauds where scammers “fatten you up” with trust, flattery, and fake investment opportunities before “butchering” you financially. It’s as delightful as it sounds.
Where They Lurk:
- Social media
- Messaging platforms
- Business networking sites
- Dating apps
Dating apps? What?!?
That’s right. Here’s what the United States Secret Service has to say about pig butchering scams: “Pig butchering scams involve fraudsters gaining the trust of victims, oftentimes via a fictitious romantic relationship, and duping them into making investments into fake cryptocurrency projects. These schemes typically begin with a victim meeting someone on an online dating website.”
Like catfishing but somehow worse. Charming.
Pig Butchering vs. Phishing Scams: What’s the difference?
Although both of these amount to online fraud, the approach is different with pig butchering more of a long-game and phishing an immediate, broad-based attack. The goal of phishing is to steal information quickly, no false wooing here, just a smash and grab for passwords, bank credentials, and personal details.
While we can’t pretend to know your cyber-experience, it’s likely that you’ve seen a phishing scam due its widespread nature versus the targeted approach that is the hallmark of pig butchering scams. That said, pig butchering scams are on the rise, adding to the following common phishing scams you’ve probably seen or at least heard of…
Common Phishing Scams Trolling through Cyberspace
So, what do these phishing scams look like? What follows is the ones we’ve encountered most often or our clients have reported to us. Unfortunately, at least one or two of these are likely familiar.
- Email Phishing: The Classic Con
- This is the OG scam. It looks like it’s from your bank, your boss, or Amazon. Spoiler alert: It’s not! (As you’ll soon find out if you click on or otherwise engage with this content).
- Spear Phishing: A Personalized Trap
- This one’s targeted. The scammer knows your name, job, maybe even your favorite pizza topping. Super creepy, sadly effective.
- Smishing (SMS Phishing): Texts with a Dark Side
- “Your package couldn’t be delivered. Click here to reschedule.” Don’t. Just… don’t.
- “Are you coming for dinner?”, “Your steak is ready!”, “I forgot my phone at your house.” or any other innocuous-seeming “wrong number” text messages. Don’t text back even to say it’s a wrong number!
- Vishing (Voice Phishing): Scam Calls in Disguise
- A scammer calls pretending to be tech support, your bank, or the IRS. Fun fact: The IRS will never call and demand payment via gift cards.
- Clone Phishing: The Copycat Scheme
- Scammers copy legitimate emails, swap in malicious links, and boom—you’re toast if you click.
Red Flags That Scream “SCAM ALERT!”
This section is kind of like our reminder to you to always trust your gut. Can these alerts inspire panic? Sure. You’re busy working away, running through a million things on your to-do list, when suddenly a message pings your inbox with content that could look like any of the following. Take a breath, really read it, and then assess how authentic this content actually might be, based on the “pitch.”
- Too Good to Be True
- “Invest $500 today, get $5,000 tomorrow!” How? The math isn’t “mathing” here.
- Urgency and Fear Tactics
- “Your account will be closed if you don’t act NOW!” Calm down, Karen.
- Weird Grammar & Spelling
- Professional organizations usually know how to spell “account” correctly.
- Odd Requests
- Asking for passwords, SSNs, or payment in crypto/gift cards? Hard pass.
- Strange Email Addresses
- Check the “from” line. A big ol’ long string of letters and numbers attached to a Gmail account? No thanks.
- Suspicious Links
- Hover over links to see where they really lead. If it looks like a cat walked across the keyboard, don’t click.
Consider the above a quick checklist that you can use on any message that sets your Spidey senses tingling. Perhaps even better than knowing what to do when confronted by this kind of content is knowing how to avoid seeing it in the first place.
While not foolproof, these tips should help you steer clear of phishing and pig butchering scams…
How to Avoid Becoming Cyber-Bacon
The theme here is awareness and proaction.
- Verify, Verify, Verify: Got an email from “your boss” asking for gift cards? Call them. (Bonus: You’ll probably make — and save! — their day.)
- Don’t Click Strange Links: Even if it promises a free iPad. Especially if it promises a free iPad.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication: It’s like adding a deadbolt to your digital front door.
- Keep Software Updated: Cybercriminals love exploiting old software. Keep everything updated.
- Educate Yourself and Others
As with anything, the more you know, the better off you are and, in this case, the less likely you are to get duped.
Spread the word by sharing this article with your friends, family, and coworkers!
What to Do if You Suspect a Scam
Remember that no-shame policy we talked about before? If you’re unsure or feel uneasy that these messages even reached you in the first place — don’t! Time is of the essence. Get some other eyes (bonus points if you call in the pros), and assess the situation. Act accordingly and be vigilant moving forward.
- Don’t Engage: Don’t reply, click, or even open suspicious links.
- Report It: Forward phishing emails to your IT department or [email protected].
- Change Your Passwords: If you think you’ve been compromised, change your passwords faster than you can say “phish sticks.”
- Monitor Accounts: Keep an eye on your financial accounts for any unusual activity.
Err on the Side of Skepticism
While phishing and pig butchering scams are sneaky, sophisticated, and strategically designed to catch you off guard, with a little skepticism, some tech-savvy habits, and maybe a sprinkle of sarcasm, you can stay one step ahead. When in doubt, consult the pros and let us be your first line of defense against the cyber world’s bad actors.
Let us help you establish a first line of defense for your business against phishing and pig butchering utilizing spam filters and years of expertise in the cyber security industry. Contact us today to get started!
