In this post, we will be discussing recent calls to attorney Chelsea E Walker, and her law firm, concerning elaborate scams of West Virginia residents by alleged international paramours. Are you being scammed by your online romancer?

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Sweetheart and pig butchering scams: What You Need to Know

In recent months, we’ve seen an increase in calls across West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Georgia from folks concerned they may be victims of international relationship fraud. These scams often start as online romances and escalate into immigration scams to elicit money from the U.S. Citizen by crafting fake government filings, letters, and bogus requirements that end in heartbreak—and loss of hard-earned American money.

In places like Charleston, Morgantown, Wheeling, Lewisburg, and Ashland, we’ve worked with people who believed they found love, only to later realize they were used for elaborate scams known as sweetheart scams, catfishing scams, or pig butchering scams. The FBI reports over 850,000 complaints of online romance scams in 2024. The FBI created the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) to report these scams to protect Americans.

Here’s what you need to know—and how to protect yourself.

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What Is a sweetheart scam or pig butchering?

These scams often follow a pattern:

• A foreign national builds an emotional connection online or through social media.
• The relationship moves quickly—often toward talk of marriage and life in the U.S.
• The U.S. citizen sends money to the online sweetheart, but always to different accounts that belong to friends because for whatever reason, the sweetheart can’t have a paypal or bank account
• The couple has never met in-person (HUGE RED FLAG)
• The online sweetheart sends purported U.S. Government documents authorizing a visa and fake letters demanding sums of money for additional processing
• There’s always a need for more funds to get the visa
• The foreign national promises they have a trust fund, bequeath of funds or other source of funds to repay the American but they just can’t access those funds quite yet

These scams are devastating. They’re emotionally manipulative and can cause financial ruin for the American. These scams can be incredibly elaborate: the scammer may claim to attend a prestigious university, having just graduated, the scammer may even send fake diplomas or certificates of completion, they may craft fake U.S. visas, and fake letters from the U.S. government in an effort to establish credibility with their victim.

The apps these scammers use to connect with you vary significantly:

• Professional networking sites
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Telegram
• Signal
• WhatsApp
• Dating Sites (Tinder, Hinge, Bumble, Match, Plenty of Fish, OKCupid, etc.)
• Telephone/Text

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The Common Thread:
They never meet you in person. They create urgency around money. And they often mention legal processes—visas, customs, border issues—but never involve real legal professionals.

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Signs You Might Be a Target

• The relationship moved extremely fast
• You’ve never met in person or only once
• Your partner avoids meeting your family or answering basic questions
• The foreign national says the have been granted a visa that in reality, they’re unqualified to receive
• The foreign national files for a visa without a lawyer
• They ask for money to pay fake fees, “travel” costs, or to “release” paperwork.
• The foreign national requests you send the money to them, rather than directly paying the U.S. government or an airline.

If you’re seeing these red flags—you may be the victim of a sweetheart scam.

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A Warning About Documents:
If you’re being shown “official” immigration papers that demand money or action, be wary. Real U.S. immigration processes never ask someone abroad to wire money to a stranger or third party. For your safety—and to prevent scammers from perfecting their techniques—we do not review documents over the phone or with anonymous callers. Any review of legal documents must happen within a formal client relationship.

Protect Yourself

Be wary of emotional manipulation or grand promises of repayment and future access to significant funds.

Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person, particularly if the account belongs to their “friend.”

Be cautious of online lovers who claim repeated emergencies.

Don’t share your Social Security number, passport details, or banking info.

if you discover you’re a victim of a scam, report it to the FBI. Save a future victim and report what’s happened to you.

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You Are Not Alone
If you’re unsure whether your online relationship is legitimate, trust your instincts—and take action. A confidential consultation with a qualified immigration attorney can help you assess your situation, without giving scammers an edge.

We work with clients in:
Charleston, WV · Morgantown, WV · Wheeling, WV · Lewisburg, WV · Snowshoe, WV · Ashland, KY · Pikeville, KY

Call our office if you think you’re being scammed:
Don’t wait until you’re left heartbroken and broke. If something feels off, contact our firm to discuss your concerns safely and privately.

📞(800)650-9097
🌐 www.kvisaxpress.com
🧬 Chelsea’s Bio