A San Francisco retiree says he wired roughly $500,000 of his savings to someone he met online, convinced he was both in a romance and about to strike it rich in crypto. Family and friends begged him to stop and flagged the sketchy websites, but he kept moving money as long as the supposed profits on his account screen kept climbing. The scheme fits a pattern authorities call a "pig butchering" scam.
According to ABC7, the man, identified as Adan Look, said he had been exchanging messages over WhatsApp since last May with a woman who went by "Annie." She allegedly told him he had millions sitting in a crypto account. His son later uncovered records of multiple large wire transfers, including payments routed to banks in Malaysia and Vietnam and a $300,000 transfer labeled as money for a kitchen remodeling company. Taken together, the family says about $500,000 in life savings is gone. Look asked 7 On Your Side to share his story as a warning to others.
How the pig‑butchering con hooks victims
According to the California Department of Justice, pig‑butchering scammers spend weeks or months grooming victims through online chats, then steer them toward sham cryptocurrency platforms. Those sites can fake impressive account balances and later demand extra "unlock" fees or additional deposits when victims try to withdraw. The department says its cybercrime team shut down dozens of phony crypto sites in 2024 and published a checklist of red flags to help people spot bogus exchanges before they move any money.
Local prosecutors try to track the money
According to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, its high‑tech investigators pulled off a rare sting in December 2024, setting up a simulated cash pickup that led to arrests in a pig‑butchering case. That scheme allegedly targeted a local older adult for more than $500,000. Prosecutors say operations like this show that, even when overseas scammers are calling the shots, local investigators can sometimes intercept the on‑the‑ground money handlers.
What families and older adults can do right now
According to the FBI, its 2024 Internet Crime Report shows reported losses from internet‑enabled crime topping $16 billion, with investment‑related fraud among the costliest categories and older adults taking especially heavy hits. The FBI advises victims to cut off contact immediately, notify their banks as fast as possible, and file a complaint through the IC3 portal. Adult Protective Services and local nonprofits can also assist families who believe a loved one is being exploited.
"I was head over heels, pretty much out of control, ready to do anything," Look told ABC7, saying he hopes his ordeal will keep other seniors from falling into similar traps. His son said the family notified law enforcement, elder‑service agencies and banks, but still could not stop the wires in time. Now, they want the public to recognize the warning signs early and report suspicious solicitations the moment they start to feel off.
