Planet Money The secret world behind those scammy text messages
231 snips
May 23, 2025 
Zeke Faux, an investigative reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek, dives deep into the world of scam text messages. He shares his personal journey from a curious recipient to uncovering shady operations behind these deceptive communications. Listeners learn about the manipulative 'pig butchering' scams that exploit emotions and finances. Faux's investigation reveals unsettling connections between scams and human trafficking, particularly in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, highlighting the dark realities of exploitation amidst a façade of luxury.
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Zeke's Scam Encounter with Vicky Ho
- Zeke Faux engaged with a scammer named Vicky Ho who sent him flirtatious texts and false stories about her life.
- He played along to experience a pig butchering scam firsthand, learning about their tactics.
How Pig Butchering Scams Work
- Pig butchering scams fatten victims with fake romance and small wins before taking all their money.
- Scammers gauge victims' wealth and cut them off after maximum extraction.
Following Vicky's Crypto Scam Instructions
- Vicky Ho instructed Zeke to buy cryptocurrency Tether via sketchy apps and transfer them to a suspicious wallet.
- Zeke followed instructions carefully to learn the scam's mechanisms and the role of Tether.
