Maryland woman loses $3 million in crypto pig butchering scam via Korean messaging app

Summary

A Maryland woman lost over $3 million in a cryptocurrency "pig butchering" scam after being targeted through a Korean messaging app. The scammer, based in Southeast Asia, gained her trust over several weeks and convinced her to invest in fake crypto accounts, initially directing her to legitimate platforms like Coinbase before moving to fraudulent sites. The FBI Baltimore field office became involved through its Operation Level Up initiative and warned that scammers often coach victims on what to say to avoid detection. The victim admitted she ignored red flags and became desperate as she invested more money, ultimately losing everything. The FBI reported that 76% of cryptocurrency investment fraud victims are unaware they are being scammed, and as of January 2025, 4,323 victims nationwide have been notified. In a related case, an 80-year-old Maryland man lost his life savings through a similar scam and later took his own life.