Interpol Retires 'Pig Butchering' Term to Reduce Victim Stigma

The agency aims to encourage more scam victims to report crimes by adopting less dehumanizing terminology like 'romance baiting.'

Interpol has stopped using the term 'pig butchering,' citing its dehumanizing impact on victims of online scams.
The term originated from scammers themselves and refers to gradually gaining victims' trust before defrauding them, often in cryptocurrency schemes.
The agency now recommends terms like 'romance baiting' or 'investment scams' to focus on the criminal actions rather than shaming victims.
Experts and researchers argue that language influences whether victims feel comfortable reporting crimes, which could lead to better enforcement outcomes.
Online scams, including those involving forced labor and AI tools, have defrauded billions globally, with cases continuing to rise.