The term "pig roasting" has successfully raised public awareness of online scams that can drain people of their savings and financial livelihood. Unfortunately, the term has failed to get people to go and report these crimes, in part because no victim wants to be called a "pig," according to Interpol.

Interpol (which are technically pigs too, if you think about it). ASK governments and organizations to stop using pig slaughter as a catchall term for online scams. The main reason: the phrase, while attracting attention, puts the blame on the victims instead of the criminals. That makes sense given the origin of the phrase, which does not come from law enforcement or cybersecurity experts but from the scammers themselves.

Instead of pig roasting, which has become a large umbrella term, Interpol recommends using more specific language that focuses on the actions of criminal actors rather than victims. For example, terms such as “investment scam” or “romance baiting” more accurately describe the fraud committed and do not place more stigma on the people who are victimized.

Even if the change is small, it makes a difference. Language is charged in all kinds of ways that we don't even realize. For example: saying that someone "reported" a crime instead of saying that they "alleged" that a crime took place gives the reporter comfort. "Reporting" suggests that it happened, while "accusing" a crime suggests a degree of doubt. Studies also found that the language used to describe someone involved in a crime can lead to more negative associations. When someone is called a "felon," people are more likely to have negative reactions to them, while a "person with a felony conviction" produces more positive responses.

All that said, it's not too hard to see why people who have drained their bank accounts to zero would rather not be called a fattened "pig" for munching on a sweet -talking scammer.

If Interpol's change in language results in more reports of criminal activity, it will be a win. Americans defrauded out of more than $10 billion by 2023, according to the FTCincluding $4.6 billion in investment scams and $1.14 billion from romance baiting. The FBI found that online scams up 22% from 2022 and is likely to rise further thanks to cybercriminals who are on the rise use of AI tools to carry out their plans.

In fact, multiple reports of these scams help agencies like Interpol to crack down on the perpetrators, who create more victims than their stolen money. Reporting from Wall Street Journal and Wired Emphasis is placed on the labor behind some of these scams which are carried out by people who are trafficked and forced to work or face beatings and torture.