The term “pig butchering” has raised public awareness about online scams that can deprive people of their savings and financial livelihood. Unfortunately, the term has failed to get people to come forward and report these crimes, in part because no victim wants to be called a “pig,” according to Interpol.
Interpol (who are technically pigs too, if you think about it) is asking governments and organizations to stop using pig slaughter as a blanket term for online scams. The main reason: the phrase, although evocative and striking, blames the victims and not the criminals. That makes sense given the origin of the phrase, which came not from law enforcement or cybersecurity experts, but from the scammers themselves.
Instead of pig slaughter, which has become a general term, Interpol recommends using more specific language that focuses on the actions of criminal actors rather than victims. For example, terms like “investment scam” or “romantic harassment” more accurately define the fraud being committed and do not impose additional stigma on the people who are being targeted.
No matter how small the change may seem, can make a difference. Language is loaded in all kinds of ways that we may not realize. For example, saying that a person “reported” a crime instead of saying that they “alleged” that a crime occurred may provide comfort to the reporter. “Report” suggests that it happened, while “alleging” a crime suggests a level of doubt. Studies They have also found that the language used to describe someone involved in a crime can lead to more negative associations. When a person is referred to as a “felon,” people are more likely to have negative reactions toward them, while a “person with a felony conviction” produces more positive responses.
All that said, it’s not too difficult to understand why people whose bank accounts have just been reduced to zero would prefer not to be called “pigs” who were fatted for slaughter by some sweet con artist.
If Interpol’s language change results in more reports of criminal activity, it’s a win. Americans were defrauded of more than 10 billion dollars in 2023, according to the FTCincluding $4.6 billion for investment scams and $1.14 billion for romantic harassment. The FBI discovered that online scams increased by 22% starting in 2022 and will probably continue to increase thanks to increasingly cybercriminals using artificial intelligence tools to carry out his plans.
Ideally, more reports on these scams will help agencies like Interpol crack down on the perpetrators, who have created more victims beyond those from whom they steal money. Reports of the Wall Street Journal and cabling have highlighted that the work behind some of these scams is carried out by people who have been trafficked and forced to work or face beatings and torture.
