Romance scam crypto (“pig butchering”): psychology, mechanics, and evidence
Typical timeline
Contact via dating apps, social media, or wrong-number texts escalates to daily communication. After trust is built, the scammer introduces a trading platform showing fabricated profits. Victims deposit repeatedly; “taxes” or “unlock fees” appear when withdrawals are attempted. Eventually the site disappears or the contact goes silent.
Why delays hurt recovery
Funds often pass through aggregator contracts and CEX deposits quickly. Shame and disbelief cause victims to wait—reducing the chance that exchanges still hold related balances. Early reporting to local police and national fraud portals, plus professional tracing, improves the odds of meaningful leads—not guarantees, but better than inaction.
Evidence to preserve
- Full chat logs exported with timestamps.
- Domains, app package names, and wallet addresses provided by scammers.
- All transaction hashes from your wallets to their addresses.
- Screenshots of the fake dashboard (archive.org snapshots if possible).
How specialists help without re-traumatizing
Clear project management, written scopes, and predictable updates reduce anxiety. We separate emotional support (referrals to counselors) from forensic work. For technical packaging, see documentation services.