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Are fraud victims nothing more than animals? Critiquing the propagation of “pig butchering” (Sha Zhu Pan, 杀猪盘)

Whittaker, Jack M. ; Lazarus, Suleman ; Corcoran, Taidgh (2024) — Journal of Economic Criminology

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DOI: 10.1016/j.jeconc.2024.100052 (opens in a new tab)

Type:   Journal Article
Country:   United Kingdom
Tags:   Cross Cultural Language, Dehumanisation, Fraud Classification, Human Trafficking, Investment Romance Fraud, Online Fraud, Pig Butchering, Romance Scams, Victim Shaming
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Synopsis

            
This theoretical and cultural-critical article examines the Chinese term "Sha Zhu Pan," commonly translated as "pig butchering," through research on dehumanization and moral disengagement. It argues that the metaphor can reproduce offenders' dehumanizing frame, shame or blame victims, and obscure the coercive and organized character of the fraud. The article also compares Chinese and Nigerian offender metaphors and uses a four-stage account - fake-profile targeting, trust-building, fraudulent investment with apparent early returns, and final theft and evidence destruction - to show what the label compresses. This is a conceptual critique based on prior literature, media, and institutional examples, not an original sample of victims, offenders, or media coverage; its claimed social effects are therefore interpretive.

          

        
                  

            
Identified Gaps

            
The paper identifies limited English-language academic attention to this area and inadequate critical scrutiny of the term’s adoption in media and professional discourse. It highlights conceptual ambiguity: “pig butchering” is inconsistently classified as cryptocurrency, romance, or investment fraud, while reporting systems may force it into unsuitable existing categories. Further research is needed on linguistic framing, cross-cultural variation, and consequences for stigma, reporting, and prevention.

          

        
                  

            
Methods

            
This is a theoretical, critical treatment of the Chinese term Sha Zhu Pan (“pig butchering”). It synthesises literature on dehumanisation and moral disengagement, critically analyses the term’s adoption and implications, describes the scam’s four stages using adapted prior models, and compares Chinese and Nigerian offender metaphors for victims. The article draws on academic publications, media examples, and institutional materials to discuss terminology, fraud classification, victim shaming, and policy implications.

          

        
                  

            
Limitations

            
The article is a theoretical treatment rather than an original empirical study of victims, offenders, media content, or reporting systems. Its claims about effects on victims, reporting, and public perceptions are largely argued from prior literature and illustrative media or institutional examples. It also notes only limited English-language academic attention, which constrains the available scholarly basis for evaluating the term’s dissemination and consequences.

          

        
                  

            
Future Work

            
Research should examine how dehumanising fraud labels affect victims’ well-being, stigma, and reporting. It should investigate cross-cultural metaphor use and how language shapes perceptions, conduct, fraud detection, and prevention messaging. The authors also call for policymakers, academia, and law enforcement to assess the effects of the term “pig butchering” and consider non-victim-focused, technique-oriented labels such as “investment-romance fraud.”

          

              

    
    

        
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