“Why did I fall for it?” Exploring internet fraud susceptibility in the pig butchering scam

Pig butchering scam (Sha Zhu Pan, 杀猪盘), as a new type of online scam initially targeting Asian victims, has rapidly spread globally with the growth of Southeast Asian fraud groups, causing enormous financial losses to victims and casting a shadow over their emotional lives. This study explores the internet fraud susceptibility exhibited by victims in this scam through in-depth interviews with 18 victims and 13 perpetrators of pig butchering scam. The interviews revealed three significant characteristics displayed by victims in the pig butchering scam: limited social support, lack of security, and low self-esteem. Echoing the content of the perpetrators’ interviews, these characteristics of the victims made them vulnerable to exploitation by criminals, which ultimately facilitated the successful implementation of the pig butchering scam in the interactions between perpetrators and victims. These characteristics not only serve as indicators for perpetrators to identify potential victims but also make victims more susceptible to further financial and emotional losses. This study not only expands the theoretical understanding of victimology and internet fraud susceptibility concerning pig butchering scams but also provides a basis for researchers and policymakers worldwide to develop strategies for preventing these scams.