⚠️ A Note of Caution
I never share anything with scammers that can’t already be found on the open internet. My conversations are carefully controlled to expose their tactics — not to risk personal data.
If you ever encounter a scammer, do not engage with them. Block, report, and move on. These people are highly trained manipulators, and engaging with them only increases your risk.
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It started innocently enough. One evening, I got a message on WhatsApp:
“Hi Wesley, I’m Ewa from LinkedIn. I’m glad to connect with you here.”
That was the hook. She seemed pleasant, friendly, and quick to ask questions about my day. Within a few minutes, “Ewa” sent a photo of herself — young, glamorous, smiling into the camera.
I replied with one of my own, and she was quick with the flattery:
“You look very masculine and quite gentlemanly.”
That’s how these scams begin: charm, flattery, and the illusion of a chance encounter.
The Bonding Phase
Over the next two days, “Ewa” and I exchanged dozens of messages. She told me she was from Poland, divorced, and living in California. She claimed to work as a marketing manager for a clothing company, but most of her income came from “investments.”
She shared stories about her past, her aunt who worked on Wall Street, and even childhood Christmas memories. She sent multiple selfies, each more polished than the last. She complimented my family, praised my military service, and told me I was rare, charming, and responsible.
It was classic emotional grooming. Scammers call this “fattening the pig” — showering the victim with attention before introducing the “opportunity.”
The Video Call Trick
Just when I thought I had the pattern figured out, “Ewa” raised the stakes. She suggested we do a video call.
It only lasted a few minutes. The woman on camera was the same one from the photos, smiling, laughing, making small talk. Then she quickly excused herself and hung up, saying she had to leave.
At first glance, that feels like proof she’s real — but in reality, it’s a common scam technique.
Scammers will:
- Hire or coerce someone to appear briefly on camera.
- Use pre-recorded or looped videos on apps that blur/lag to hide the fakery.
- Keep the call short, so there’s no time to test them with questions or proof.
The goal is to overcome suspicion by showing “face-to-face” validation. And for many victims, that’s enough to trust the scammer with money.
The Investment Hook
On the third day, the conversation pivoted.
“I currently invest in cryptocurrencies and short-term intraday trading of gold options.”
She bragged about making $46,000 in a single trading session and hinted that she could “teach me” how to set up my own account. She emphasized her “professional analyst team” and assured me she would guide me personally — for free.
This is where the mask slipped. The goal wasn’t friendship or romance. It was to lure me into a fraudulent trading platform where scammers drain deposits until the victim has nothing left.
Testing the Scammer
By this point, I’d seen enough. I pushed back.
I congratulated her on the performance, called out the shift changes in her responses, and demanded proof:
“Show me a picture of you in as little clothing as possible holding up a newspaper with today’s date. If it’s AI, I’ll know you naughty boys.”
Silence. Then stalling. Then finally, a short reply:
“Stop.”
The game was over.
Lessons Learned
Pig butchering scams follow a clear pattern:
- The Approach – An unsolicited message, often on LinkedIn, WhatsApp, or dating apps.
- The Bonding – Fast-moving intimacy, with photos, compliments, and personal stories.
- The Hook – The sudden shift to investments, crypto, or trading “opportunities.”
- The Pressure – Bragging about huge profits, offering to “teach” or “guide” you.
- The Collapse – When challenged for proof, the scammer deflects or disappears.
Final Thoughts
I share this encounter not because I was fooled — but because many people are. The scammers are skilled, patient, and increasingly using AI-generated content to keep the illusion alive.
If you get a random message that feels too flattering, too perfect, too good to be true — trust your instincts. Block, report, and walk away.
Because no matter how charming “Ewa” might sound, behind the screen is just another scammer fattening the pig.
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