The odds are pretty good that you've gotten some spammy texts. Usually, they're pretty easy to spot, but there are some that on the surface, at least, seem innocuous. They appear to be just the text equivalent of a wrong number. But don't be deceived; there's a lot more to these, and none of it's good.
This is the first step in what is, at its core, an old-fashioned “romance scam,” in which the scammer exploits a lonely and/or horny person by faking a long-distance, usually romantic relationship. After the scammer has gained the trust of their victim, they convince them to transfer money, often for an investment; in some cases, the victim can be enticed into several successive transfers before they realize they’re being played.
This kind of con has proliferated over the last few years in China, where it’s called sha zhu pan, or “pig-butchering,” because the victim is strung along for weeks or months before the actual swindle, like a pig being fattened for slaughter. Originating in sophisticated online-fraud networks first developed to take advantage of Chinese offshore gamblers, the sha zhu pan scams end with targets depositing money into forex or gold trading — or, seemingly most commonly, into fake cryptocurrency platforms. (Interestingly, they’re often not “romantic” at all, and instead rely on cultivating a trusting friendship that culminates with a little bit of friendly investing advice.)
The article goes into detail on how these scams work and what's behind them. It's definitely worth reading if you value your online security.
No comments:
Post a Comment