Pig Butchering Scam Overview - Pig butchering is a scam where victims are exploited and held captive to perform digital slavery, often originating from random WhatsApp messages [1] - The scam involves grooming victims by selling them a dream lifestyle through fancy pictures and promises of financial success [4] - Scammers redirect victims to fake investment portals, initially asking for small investments to gain trust before escalating to larger sums [6][7] - Victims are often lured with promises of high returns, sometimes exceeding those of established investments like the S&P 500 [7] - When victims try to withdraw their money, they are either asked to pay more or the website disappears, leaving them with financial and psychological trauma [9] Origin and Evolution - The scam originated in China around 2016 with online betting scams known as "杀猪盘" (shazup pan), meaning fattening the pig before butchering it [11] - After crackdowns in China around 2019, scammers moved to special economic zones in countries like Myanmar, where they opened casinos and continued their operations [12][13] - The COVID-19 pandemic led to a shift towards digital scams due to increased online activity and vulnerability [15] - Human trafficking became a key component, with individuals lured by fake job ads and then forced into digital slavery in scam compounds [16][17][19] Scale and Impact - Scam compounds, such as those in KK Park in Myanmar, have emerged as IT centers where trafficked individuals are forced to scam others [20][21] - Approximately 300,000 people are estimated to be trapped in these scam compounds worldwide [21] - The scam targets individuals globally, not just those in Asian countries seeking jobs, and can affect anyone, including high-profile individuals [22][23][24] - Deepfakes and AI technologies are increasingly used to enhance the scams, making them more convincing [25][27] - The economic impact is estimated to be a $75 billion market with a 40% year-on-year growth [29] Societal Implications and Call to Action - The scam leads to erosion of trust in society, with people questioning the reality of their interactions [32] - The industry calls for increased digital awareness, development of deepfake detection algorithms, and holding big tech companies accountable [34][35][36] - Governments and law enforcement agencies need to build policies, regulations, and treat these cases with empathy and sensitivity [36][37]