Fake Brad Pitt scam, internet goes crazy

An incredible case has just made the rounds on social networks: a French woman, seduced by an impostor posing as Brad Pitt, was swindled out of 830,000 euros.

Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer, has been through a veritable descent into hell. The victim of a romance scam, she believed she was in a relationship with American actor Brad Pitt for over a year. Using technologies such as deepfakes, the scammer skilfully manipulated Anne, taking advantage of her naivety to extract astronomical sums from her.

A well-planned scam

It all starts with exchanges on social networks, where Anne is charmed by poems and statements sent by the swindler. The financial demands soon follow: 5,000 euros for customs duties on “luxurious gifts” and thousands of euros to cover imaginary medical expenses such as dialysis and transplants.

To make his story credible, the scammer used video and photo montages rigged with artificial intelligence. Images of “Brad Pitt” bedridden in a hospital convinced the fifty-something, who, in a testimony broadcast by the TV show Sept à Huit, confessed she hadn’t detected the deception.

The reaction of social networks

The affair, reported in the media, provoked a flood of reactions on social networks. Many Internet users mocked Anne’s gullibility, making her an Internet laughingstock. Others, more sympathetic, pointed to the dangers of technology. Deepfakes make scams increasingly sophisticated.

Anne, ruined and depressed, now lives with a friend in La Réunion. She has launched an online fundraising campaign to finance her legal fees, hoping to obtain justice.

A worldwide phenomenon

This story, although extreme, is far from an isolated case. In Spain, five people have been arrested for similar scams. They swindled several women by pretending to be Brad Pitt. One of them lost 170,000 euros in 2022. These cases are a reminder of the need for vigilance on the Internet.

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