French Woman Defrauded of €830,000 by Fake Brad Pitt Scammers

The heart-wrenching story of a 53-year-old French woman who fell victim to an elaborate scam involving AI-generated images of Brad Pitt reveals the dark side of celebrity obsession and the increasing sophistication of digital fraud.

A French woman has become the target of public mockery and a high-profile media controversy after losing a staggering €830,000 (approximately $850,000) to scammers impersonating Hollywood actor Brad Pitt. The woman, identified only as Anne, revealed her harrowing experience during a primetime program on TF1, which has since been pulled following a wave of online harassment directed towards her.

The 53-year-old interior designer claimed that her deceptive romance with the fake Pitt lasted for 18 months. "I'm not crazy or a moron; I just got played," Anne stated in a candid interview, admitting that her desire to escape her reality led her to fall prey to the fraud.

After she joined Instagram in February 2023, she was contacted by someone claiming to be Pitt's mother, which was followed by direct communication from someone pretending to be the actor himself. Anne, navigating the unfamiliar terrain of social media, became enamored and easily manipulated.

The scammers led Anne to believe that the actor was in dire straits, claiming he needed funds to pay customs on luxury gifts and later, for urgent kidney cancer treatment. Anne ended up transferring considerable amounts of money, believing she was helping save Pitt's life.

The narrative took a turn when real images of the actor and his new girlfriend emerged in the media, prompting doubts that led Anne to reach out to the police. Unfortunately, by this point, all her savings had vanished into the hands of the scammers.

TF1 had to retract the segment on Anne after it became a source of ridicule on social media, though she is still facing a harsh reality. She has attempted suicide multiple times since the incident, stating tearfully, "These people deserve hell," and calling for aid to track down the perpetrators.

While many users online publicly mocked her, some rallied in support, highlighting the larger issue at hand: the increasing danger posed by technological advances and the prominence of deepfakes. An op-ed from Libération stressed that Anne’s experience is a sobering reminder of the perils inherent in an era dominated by digital deception.

Anne now lives in a friend's small room, filled with boxes, lamenting what she once had and the shame she feels. She emphasized that the words of affection and validation she received from the scammers were things she never heard from her former husband, making her vulnerable to their manipulation.

As investigations continue, the fallout from this scandal raises pressing concerns about the effectiveness of online safeguards and the moral responsibility of those creating AI technologies.