French Woman Scammed by Fake Brad Pitt

A French woman named Anne fell victim to a sophisticated romance scam in which a fraudster impersonated Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, using AI-generated videos and images to gain her trust. Starting in February 2023, their communication escalated from friendly exchanges to a romantic relationship, with the scammer proposing and promising gifts, which required Anne to pay customs fees amounting to €9,000. As her emotional attachment grew, the scammer manipulated her into believing he needed funds for urgent kidney cancer treatment, claiming his bank accounts were frozen due to his divorce from Angelina Jolie. Ultimately, Anne sent over €830,000, including a significant portion from her divorce settlement, believing she was helping the actor. The ordeal not only drained her financially but also led to the end of her marriage. Anne's story highlights the increasing prevalence of digital fraud facilitated by advanced technologies like AI.