Is Dit Veilig?Scam type
NLEN
Scam type 8/15

Crypto fraud and fake trading platforms: how "pig butchering" drains Dutch investors

A new "friend" on LinkedIn who lets you earn on a trading platform? Learn how pig butchering works and how to recognize the scammers.

Stats and sources
Updated: May 2026

What the numbers show

No guesses. Only published data from Fraudehelpdesk (the Dutch fraud helpline), CBS (Statistics Netherlands), AFM, SIDN and Dutch investigative journalism.

AFM (Dec 2025): annual losses from investment fraud in the Netherlands between €150 million and €750 million.
Source: AFM (Dutch financial markets authority)
In 2025 already €29 million in documented crypto-fraud losses — 16% more than 2024 (€25 million).
Source: Opgelicht?! AVROTROS
International estimates: up to 90% of victims never file a report (shame).
Operation Spincaster (2024): 186 Dutch victims in a single investigation; $162 million in global losses.
Source: DutchNews
Modus operandi

How does this scam actually work in practice?

Step by step: this is how scammers build the scenario. The faster you spot the pattern, the sooner you can hang up or click away.

  1. 01
    First contact via Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, dating apps or "wrong-number" messages.
  2. 02
    Weeks of trust-building (the "pig butchering" or "fattening the pig" tactic): friendship, romance, lifestyle photos.
  3. 03
    An "uncle/aunt", "wealthy friend" or "trading coach" introduces a special trading platform with guaranteed returns.
  4. 04
    A first deposit (€250-€500) is paid out immediately plus extra "profit" — trust is cashed in.
  5. 05
    Then bigger deposits; on withdrawal you're asked for "tax", "verification" or "anti-money-laundering checks", always new money.
  6. 06
    Victims take out loans and sell houses before realising what's happening.
Red flags

How do you spot this scam before it's too late?

One red flag is usually enough. Two and you know for sure something is off. Stop, hang up, click away, call the real organization via a number you look up yourself.

A stranger approaches you with an "opportunity" or "tip".
The platform isn't in the AFM register (afm.nl/registers)
or worse, it's on the warning list.
Promised returns (5-20% per week or month) are unrealistic.
You have to deposit via a specific wallet or obscure exchange.
When you try to withdraw, new hurdles keep appearing.
You're discouraged from talking to family or your bank.
What to do

What to do if you've been targeted

In this order. Time is money — literally. The faster you call, the bigger the chance the bank can still reverse a transaction.

  1. 1
    Stop depositing immediately — every extra euro is lost.
  2. 2
    Save all evidence: chat history, transaction hashes, screenshots of the platform.
  3. 3
    File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844. Provide the blockchain addresses.
  4. 4
    Report to AFM via afm.nl/melden and to the Fraudehelpdesk.
  5. 5
    Check afm.nl/registers and the AFM warning list. Unlicensed providers are not allowed to serve Dutch consumers.
  6. 6
    Join victim support groups via the Fraudehelpdesk and consider a tracing firm (Chainalysis partners, Crystal Intelligence) — promises are limited.
Examples from our database

Concrete examples of this scam type

Click through on an example to see the full dossier: feed hits, host info, domain age, related cases.

domain reported
globaltradepro.io
/
View dossier →
domain reported
metafxtrade.com
View dossier →
domain reported
bitcorebank.net
View dossier →
example reported
Telegram groups "VIP Trading NL"
View dossier →
example reported
LinkedIn accounts titled "analyst" or "investment advisor", with few connections
View dossier →
example reported
WhatsApp +852, +44, +233 — foreign country codes
View dossier →
Common search queries

What people Google when they run into this scam

Recognize your own situation in one of these phrases? Paste your input into the checker above and you'll get an instant dossier — no account needed.

Related scam types

Often combined with these other scam types

Scammers increasingly combine multiple channels. A WhatsApp message is followed by a fake call; a phishing email by a Tikkie payment request.

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Read more →
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Phishing email from Belastingdienst, ING or MijnOverheid? Check it in 30 seconds
Got an email about a refund, outstanding debt or blocked account? Compare the sender against these official Dutch domains.
Read more →
Common questions

Common questions about this scam

What is crypto fraud and fake trading platforms?
First contact via Instagram, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Telegram, dating apps or "wrong-number" messages. Weeks of trust-building (the "pig butchering" or "fattening the pig" tactic): friendship, romance, lifestyle photos.
Is this crypto platform trustworthy?
A stranger approaches you with an "opportunity" or "tip". Stop depositing immediately — every extra euro is lost.
Pig butchering scam Netherlands?
The platform isn't in the AFM register (afm.nl/registers) — or worse, it's on the warning list. Save all evidence: chat history, transaction hashes, screenshots of the platform.
AFM warning list investing?
Promised returns (5-20% per week or month) are unrealistic. File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844. Provide the blockchain addresses.
What should I do if I've been a victim?
Stop depositing immediately — every extra euro is lost. Save all evidence: chat history, transaction hashes, screenshots of the platform. File a police report via politie.nl or 0900-8844. Provide the blockchain addresses.
Will I get my money back?
Whether you get your money back depends on the type of scam, how quickly you called your bank and whether you handed over credentials yourself. Dutch banks operate a goodwill scheme but in practice rarely pay out 100%. Always file a police report immediately and report to the Fraudehelpdesk — this strengthens your case.
Need help right now?

Call these numbers now — in this order

In case of immediate danger or an ongoing transaction: hang up, call your bank, then file a police report. The faster, the bigger the chance the money can be recovered.

Emergency
112
Police / emergency services
Police report
0900-8844
Ask for a case-file number
Fraudehelpdesk
088-786 73 72
Report for trend tracking
ING emergency line
020-22 888 00
Block account & card
Rabobank emergency line
088-722 67 67
Block account & card
ABN AMRO emergency line
0900-0024
Block account & card
SNS emergency line
030-633 30 00
Block account & card
Slachtofferhulp (victim support)
0900-0101
Emotional & legal support
Fraudehelpdesk.nlPolitie.nl — report online fraudVeiliginternetten.nlConsumentenbond — safe browsing