San Francisco retiree loses $500,000 in pig butchering scam twice

A San Francisco retiree lost $500,000 to a romance scam that promised cryptocurrency investment returns, according to abc30.com and abc7ny.com. The man, a retired city gardener, believed he was starting a new life with a woman he met on Facebook who claimed to have made millions in crypto.

After wiring his money to banks in Asia and ignoring warnings from friends and family, the retiree eventually realized the investment was fake and the woman was a scammer, as reported by KGO-TV and 7 On Your Side.

Despite losing his life savings, the retiree soon began communicating online with another woman claiming to be his true love, identified as 'Vicky,' who said she was an Army combat medic stationed in Kuwait and that they could be together in four years.

Friends and family warned him again, but he was convinced this time was different. The 7 On Your Side team showed him evidence that 'Vicky' was also a scammer, but the retiree remained hopeful.

His son expressed disbelief that his father fell for the same type of scam twice, emphasizing the emotional impact and the difficulty in recognizing the fraud.

This case highlights the persistence of pig butchering scams targeting vulnerable individuals in the San Francisco area and the challenges in preventing repeated victimization.