Here's a link to an article with a hopeful message.  Looks like some big companies are trying to combat the problem.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2024/11/meta-takes-down-more-than-2-million-accounts-in-fight-against-pig-butchering?utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=b2c_pro_oth_decemberweeklynewsletter_black_friday_2024_paid_v1_173274261681&utm_content=pig_butchering

I remember the first time I heard this term I had to look it up. In this sugaring world and this hobby in general I've run across it more time than I can count.  
Thanks for the info

Block!

To give you an idea of how big this operation is"

About 300,000 people have been forced to work for the criminal operations, which had stolen an estimated $64 billion from victims around the world by the end of 2023, according to a report from the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent research organization created by Congress.

Holy cow! No wonder there are so many strike outs on Seeking for both genuine SB's and SD's. The site is host to nearly 90% scammers. [possibly higher] Add to this the many tire kickers who aren't serious about sugaring and you have a recipe for frustration for all of us who seek to pursue a genuine sugar relationship. I have personally found the situation on Seeking to be nearly useless but I soldier on because the alternative is zero.

That link is behind a paywall.

Yeah that's why I included an extract. The original report (linked below) is free to read and a key part is here:

The criminals modified their business model to shift from near-exclusive reliance on China and to appeal in addition to a global market (thus also eluding the capital restrictions and ban on cryptocurrency China introduced in 2021). For workers, they turned to criminal trafficking networks able to lure a new multinational labor force into scamming enclaves in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, and elsewhere with promises of well-paid, high-tech jobs. Today, there are an estimated 300,000 cyber scammers in the Mekong region, many of whom are held captive in prisonlike conditions and forced to spend long hours scamming unsuspecting targets, often victimizing people from their own countries. The labor force inside the compounds is controlled by armed Chinese gangs, while external security is typically in the hands of local militias or police.

That sounds like a truly awful situation. I wonder how many of these operations and people are actually on Seeking. It seems to me there are a lot given the high number of scammers I've experienced. It's getting to the point where almost every attractive POT that responds to my inquiries is a faker or flaker. Very very few are turning out to be real SB's that want to start an SR. I hope this situation changes for the better soon but I'm not holding out much hope Seeking is going to do much or anything about it.  

I'm sure they are on other dating platforms besides Seeking, and target both men and women. But sugar is obviously a big target because guys have (presumably) a lot of money to lose. I imagine they are sending out text spam and are on social networks like Instagram (with friend requests). They operate in dozens of coutnries, probably using translation software and stolen pics (so the gals don't always appear to be Asian)
Important to note that while we can be victims, the women (probably) sending messages are being victimized as well. I doubt we can help them since they are probably monitored.. my guess is that if you get messages  regularly from one, it could be various people working in shifts.

SB seemed real, w pics at local landmarks and proper non AI or so I think, text  

After intial convo, blocks me on SA — i figured we weren’t gonna get along, but then connects with me on text (i gave her the number before the block)  

Spins a long story over like 5 days about being in school and w an abusive ex. It started off v believable with local college names, knowledge of sub neighborhoods but I have my antenna up  

Then comes the part about not being able to pay her phone bill because her ex won’t give her money and if she doesn’t get it in a day she won’t be able to connect w me  

“She” has been so authentic up to this point that any newbie or lonely guy can easily succumb to the pressure  

I retorted that’s unfortunate and maybe  we weren’t meant to be. Then suddenly her ex happened to pay her bill and now he is the best thing ever (trying to invoke jealousy so men will take it on their  ego and now compete to “out man” the ex)  

I am bored by this point so it’s like just block her on text and move on

But this was so elaborate and well planned out w local details, there is definitely some local brains or American hands behind the operation

They are getting quite sophisticated in their techniques! I've had some actual in person convos on phone with some POTS I believe were part of a ring. Once you ask for a video call they disappear. If you've given them your number they text a few times or ghost but not long after you'll start getting unidentified callers on your phone with various messages made to sound like a girl who had your number on her phone and to identify yourself.  

I think it more likely "her" profile was banned by the site. I've seen it on Seeking and recently on WYP as well.  

 
I always try to see the "story" from her side.  Why would a women block you when she is far from any guaranteed allowance? Especially before a M&G, and when she is still actively texting.  

 
I can see it, but rarely do, after you go BCD. Either she wants to ghost you, or she does not want you to know she is still looking for additional SD's.  

 
Life is good

 
The Cat

Yeah quite possible she was banned. My thinking was maybe she didn’t want me to report her  eventually  

And I’ve also had one case where someone blocked me but still kept messaging to setup a date and actually followed through w it. In that case maybe,  like you said, she didn’t want me to know if she was online and looking

Yes I get  a few spam calls post interactions w any scammers — good thing is I use a burner app (sideline) and can effectively block them  

Once someone tried to blackmail me off that sideline number but they didn’t know my true identity, I laughed in their face and said to go ahead and do whatever the f, didn’t bother me after

The pig butchering is run by Chinese but could have other nationalities working for them. In two instances with me, they insisted on a video call “to see if you’re real.” But the calls lasted just 30 seconds and the girls said only a few words.. the excuse was they didn’t speak English well. They play on the Asian stereotype… you  can’t be sure the girl in the video isn’t the one with the glammed up pics