Henri Arslanian interviews Erin West, a leader in the fight against crypto scams and the organized criminals behind them.

Crimes like romance scams and so-called “pig butchering” are no longer niche fraud stories. We are living in what Erin calls a scamdemic. These crimes are industrial-scale operations run out of compounds across Southeast Asia. They target everyday people. Doctors. Students. Professionals. Families.

People are losing everything and are often pushed into debt. In this episode, Henri and Erin discuss:

• What pig butchering scams really are

• Why scammers are so effective psychologically

• How (and why) organized crime uses crypto as the main payment rail

• The role of exchanges, stablecoins, and compliance gaps

• Why crypto ATMs are “theft machines”

• How AI and deepfakes make scams harder to detect

• The disturbing link between scams and human trafficking

• Why shame prevents victims from reporting

• What to do immediately if you suspect you are being scammed