Pig-Butchering Scams in France
Long-term crypto romance investment fraud targets French residents through LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Telegram with platforms mimicking AMF-regulated brokers.
Part of: Pig-Butchering Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Pig-butchering scams — 'escroqueries de boucherie' in French media coverage — have become a priority concern for France's financial regulator, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF). The AMF's ABEIS investor-protection body published several dedicated warnings following a surge in French victims losing savings to crypto platforms promoted through fabricated romantic relationships.
French victims are contacted primarily through LinkedIn, where criminals pose as successful financial professionals, or through Instagram, where they project wealthy lifestyles. The French-speaking world is specifically targeted by criminal syndicates employing French-speaking operators.
How this scam works on France
A French-speaking contact initiates a professional or romantic dialogue over several weeks, eventually introducing investment in a platform described as 'approbée par l'AMF' (AMF-approved) or 'certifiée par l'ACPR'. The platform URL closely resembles a legitimate French broker and may use the .fr TLD.
French victims are invited to invest via virement bancaire (bank transfer) to a French-language intermediate company or purchase Bitcoin at crypto ATMs increasingly present in French post offices and convenience stores. Platform gains appear real and can be partially withdrawn early — a deliberate tactic to build trust before larger deposits are solicited.
Withdrawal is eventually blocked by a 'contrôle fiscal' (tax audit) requirement demanding a percentage of profits be paid before funds are released.
Common red flags
- Investment platform not listed on the official AMF register at amf-france.org
- French-speaking contact met online pushes investment too aggressively
- Platform advertises AMF approval that cannot be verified
- Virement requests to foreign IBANs for an 'investment account'
- Withdrawal blocked by demands for a 'taxe de conformité' or audit fee
- Returns promised exceed 15% per month — no legitimate fund achieves this
How to protect yourself
- Verify any investment firm at the AMF's Regafi register: regafi.fr
- Check the AMF's blacklist of unauthorised platforms at abeis.fr
- Never invest through a platform recommended by someone you met only online
- Consult a CIF (Conseiller en Investissements Financiers) registered with the AMF
- Report suspicious platforms to AMF before further victims are recruited
How to report it
- AMF ABEIS: abeis.fr — dedicated investor protection and fraud reporting
- Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr — national cybercrime platform for French victims
- Police Nationale: service-public.fr — online complaint (plainte en ligne)
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an investment platform is authorised in France?
Use the Regafi register at regafi.fr for licensed firms, and consult the AMF blacklist at abeis.fr/listes-noires for specifically warned fraudulent entities.