Shreya Datta, a 37-year-old Indian woman in the US, lost her life savings and retirement funds, totaling $450,000, to a sophisticated cryptocurrency romance scam orchestrated by a fraudster she met on Hinge.
The scam, known as "pig butchering," exploited her desire for companionship, using digitally altered deepfake videos and persuasive tactics to manipulate her into fake crypto investments.
Despite reporting the crime to the FBI and Secret Service, Datta faces little hope of recovery, highlighting the devastating impact of such scams and the need for increased awareness and support for victims.