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The Conversation
The Conversation
Bing Han, Lecturer in Economic Crime, University of Portsmouth

‘Pig butchering’ scams have stolen billions from people around the world. Here’s what you need to know

thanun vongsuravanich / Shutterstock

At the beginning of 2025, panic about fraud and human trafficking erupted on Chinese social media. It started when a Chinese actor called Wang Xing was tricked into travelling to Thailand for an audition, where he was abducted by criminals and taken to a scam centre in Myanmar.

Wang was reported missing and, within three days, the Thai police had located and returned him to Thailand. Details of the operation were not revealed, leading to speculation that withholding more information was part of a deal that led to Wang’s release.

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