Divorced Mom Scammed Out Of $100,000 In Tinder 'Pig Butchering' Scheme

A recently divorced mother-of-three was scammed out of her entire $100,000 401(k) savings by a person she met on Tinder as part of the latest "pig butchering" scheme, Daily Mail reports.

Rebecca Holloway, 42, said a scammer posing as a French entrepreneur named 'Fred' urged her to invest in cryptocurrency just before the latest crypto crash fall of Silicon Valley Bank, eventually convincing her to invest her entire retirement fund shortly after concluding her second divorce.

“Single women approaching middle age are so vulnerable,” Holloway said via Daily Mail. “We have money but we might not have met the right guy yet. And suddenly this good-looking man starts talking to you and you’re excited.” 

“Looking back, the signs are so obvious. But at the time you want to believe it’s real," Holloway added.

The incident is the latest example of "pig butchering," a term given to months-long schemes in which suspects "fatten up" their victims with fake romance before eventually "butchering" them with faux investment tips. Holloway said her conversations with Fred were different than others she had matched on the app as he was consistent and attentive and she believed they shared a special connection as he also claimed to be a parent of three children.

Holloway said Fred made himself barely visible on their video calls, but she still trusted his tips before investing in cryptocurrencies.