A recent case of a love scam has left a 53-year-old French woman, Anne, out of pocket to the tune of 830,000 euros. The scam, in which the perpetrator posed as Brad Pitt, is a prime example of the increasingly sophisticated methods used by fraudsters to part unsuspecting victims from their money.
The scam began with a message on Instagram from someone claiming to be Brad Pitt’s mother. Soon, Anne received a message from what she believed to be the real Brad Pitt, who was allegedly going through a medical emergency and had his accounts frozen due to his divorce from Angelina Jolie. Feeling sympathetic, Anne began transferring large sums of money to the supposed Brad Pitt, unaware that the entire scenario was a ruse.
The scammers used artificial intelligence to generate fake images of Brad Pitt, convincing Anne that she was in an exclusive relationship with the Hollywood star. Meanwhile, the real Brad Pitt was likely busy with a film project, unaware of the drama unfolding in the virtual world.
Anne’s involvement in the scam even led to a separation from her own husband, making it a tragic tale of love and desperation. The lesson learned is a sobering one: in the age of online dating and social media, it is increasingly difficult to be certain of the identity of the person on the other side of the screen. When a famous Hollywood star suddenly reaches out and asks for money, it may be wise to take a step back and consider whether it’s not a better investment to wait for the next blockbuster film.