When did you last get a scam text? I get them all the time. The other day I got one that said,

It's been a long time since we had dinner together. When are you free?

I also got one that said,

Hello, Mr. Chen, when will my piano arrive?

The sender plays it off like it was an accident,

and they try to strike up a conversation.

The goal, though, is to convince you to send them money or join an investment scheme.

But it's all fake.

Every year, Americans lose billions of dollars through these scams. It's often

called pig butchering because the scammer fattens up the victim with compliments and friendship

and then butchers them by tricking them into giving away their money.

To a lot of people, these messages seem kind of ridiculous, and some even have fun toying with them.

I love, genuinely. and some even have fun toying with them.

I love, genuinely love messing with scammers.

This is a scammer.

My grandma has been dead for over a year.

He sends so chill security Numbre a glo!

I kind of feel like you're a scammer.

You're texting me like you're in the middle of a stroke. But have you ever really thought about who is sending these messages?

Our colleague Felice Solomon has, and she's spent months investigating who's behind them.

A lot of people might not realize that and she's spent months investigating who's behind them.

A lot of people might not realize that the person sending these texts is also a victim.

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