Romance scams known as "pig butchering", where fraudsters build online relationships to trick victims into transferring large sums of money, are on the rise in Luxembourg as experts warn of increasingly sophisticated global networks behind them.
Victims frequently describe their first impressions of the scammer as unusually convincing. Shreya Datta, a US woman, recently explained in conversation with AFP that a man she met online appeared completely different from the usual profiles encountered on dating platforms. He came across as sincere, stressed that he wanted a genuine relationship, replied quickly and regularly, and made her feel reassured.
According to Muriel-Larissa Frank, a cybersecurity researcher at the University of Luxembourg, these scams usually start with something that seems harmless: a friend request, a "like" on social media, or a casual message. Frank noted that fraudsters call this initial phase "pig hunting", where they scan profiles to identify potential targets, adding that once they have chosen someone, they begin to engage.
Behind the scenes, however, the scam is rarely the work of a lone fraudster. Frank explained that these operations often involve large criminal networks based in Southeast Asia. She highlighted that the structure can resemble a factory, with rows of people at desks, each juggling dozens of conversations with potential victims on phones or computers.
Frank emphasised that many of those involved are themselves coerced into participating, with their passports confiscated, or threats of violence hanging over them. She added that the business has grown so vast that accomplices include florists to send fake romantic gifts, or women hired to make phone calls or provide personal photos to build trust, with artificial intelligence tools increasingly also being used to generate convincing interactions.
The scam is designed to create emotional dependency and trust, Frank added. Only once a victim truly believes in the prospect of a shared future will they be willing to "invest" in it, typically by transferring money or buying cryptocurrency, she said. Frank explained that this final stage, dubbed "pig killing" is where the criminals cash in.
Such scams are now appearing more frequently in Luxembourg too, said Jeff Kaufmann from the awareness initiative Bee Secure. His advice: the best defence is vigilance. He recommends carefully checking suspicious profiles, comparing them to genuine ones, and using online search tools or AI software to verify whether images are authentic or stolen.
RTL invites readers who may have been victims of a "love scam" or any form of emotional blackmail to share their stories confidentially via opruff@rtl.lu.
