This scam comes out of Southeast Asia.
As all scammers will do, they first take their time in conversation by some means to build up your confidence in them. “The scammer’s goal is not to ask for money but coax the victim to invest in a fake trading website or platform that shows a bogus balance with lots of profit (Williams, 2023).”
Secretary State Raffensperger of the State of Georgia (U.S.A.) is warning everyone to be on their guard for this scam through a news release that is published by news media all over the State of Georgia. According to Raffensperger, “Everday Georgians, especially retirees, are falling victim to unscrupulous con artists miles and miles away (Williams, 2023).”
Once you are scammed, it is difficult, if not impossible to ever get your money back. So, it can’t be said too often, DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH ANYONE THAT YOU DON’T KNOW OR AT LEAST CAN’T VERIFY TO BE REAL.
Scammers are using fake identities, including fake stolen pictures and fake identification sources. It is so sad that we can’t trust anyone now, because everyone out there does not want to do us harm…..But because so many are out there do want to do us harm, the safest way to live in this day and time is to not let anyone we do not personally know to be real into our world, especially through social media, email, phone calls, texts, or even traditional mail. It is just too easy for people from all over the world to pose as someone who is your neighbor, long lost cousin, mother, brother, child, or romantic partner.
Just VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY!
If you live in the State of Georgia and think you have been scammed or have been the victim of an attempted scam, contact the secretary of state’s office at registrations@sos.ga.gov or call 470-312-2640. You can also file a report with the Federal Trade Commission. (See info at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed.)
To learn more about this scam, see the reference list that follows.
References:
- Seshadri, A. (2023, July 28). International “pig-butchering” scam affecting Georgians. WSAV. https://www.wsav.com/news/local-news/georgia-news/international-pig-butchering-scam-affecting-georgians/ (Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
- What to do if you were scammed. Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice. (2023, May 17). https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed
- Williams, D. (2023, July 24). Raffensperger warns of new cryptocurrency scam. Northwest Georgia News. https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/local/raffensperger-warns-of-new-cryptocurrency-scam/article_27c11fca-2a45-11ee-bb15-e3fabd4ec726.html (Also published in newspapers all over Georgia, including the Waycross Journal-Herald on July 29, 2023, pp 1, 2.)
