Pig-butchering scammer targets BBC journalist

BBC News cybersecurity journalist Joe Tidy has found himself in the unusual position of being targeted by a scammer calling herself "Jessica", he revealed in a report this week.

According to Tidy, someone posing as an attractive, 36-year-old woman claiming to be based in Chicago contacted him via Instagram.

For weeks, "Jessica" would contact Tidy every day at around 4pm, oblivious to the fact that he was a cybersecurity correspondent with a history of researching scammers.

"Jessica" did her best to flatter Tidy, describing him as "beautiful".  According to the journalist, she was "very flirty."

After four weeks, "Jessica" revealed her big secret. She had become rich through investing in cryptocurrency and would share her secrets if Tidy were prepared to follow her instructions.

"Jessica" told Tidy that he would have to address her as "Miss Queen" and ”do exactly as she said", which included promising to go to Chicago to buy her "a romantic gift or meal" with some of the profits she assured him he would make.

However, Tidy had been playing along with the scammer's scheme.  He did a reverse-image search on some of the glamorous images that "Jessica" had shared and discovered that they actually belonged to a German social media influencer.

Tidy informed the influencer that her images were being exploited for pig-butchering scams after making contact with the German woman whose pictures the scammer was using.

As we have described before, pig-butchering scams are big business. The FBI estimates that billions of dollars have been lost by victims.

Pig-butchering scams are so-called because their targets are likened to pigs being fattened up for slaughter. Victims will typically be contacted on social media or dating sites and made to feel that they have made a romantic connection with the scammer over an extended period of time.

The besotted victim is then tricked out of their savings, realising far too late that they have been scammed. Often, the money will be taken slowly (perhaps through an unsound "cryptocurrency investment") over a period of time, until funds have been exhausted.

In Tidy's case, "Jessica" asked for an initial investment and then made him go through a series of fake cryptocurrency investments where he was shown that his "profits" were "increasing."

Eventually, Tidy revealed that he was actually a cybersecurity journalist. Knowing that it is not uncommon for people working in pig-butchering call centres to be working against their will for criminal gangs, he asked for more information.

"Jessica" claimed to be based in a call centre in Dubai and told Tidy that she was under threat of sexual violence if she did not manage to raise $500 that night.

After some time, "Jessica" stopped responding and blocked him on social media.

It's important to know what to do if you find yourself in a similar position and believe you might have been contacted by a scammer.

Always be cautious when someone contacts you. Consider using the video chat function on dating sites (although this can also be abused by scammers). Treat anyone asking you to send them money or invest funds as a massive red flag.

A healthy dose of scepticism toward online interaction is essential.

Also, don't be afraid to report to the authorities if you have been scammed - it may help someone else avoid a similar fate.