Brad Pitt Warns of Celebrity Impersonation Scam

A French woman named Anne lost approximately $850,000 to a scammer pretending to be Brad Pitt, using AI-generated images to manipulate her emotions over 18 months. Initially contacted by someone impersonating Pitt's mother, Anne believed she was in a romantic relationship with the actor, eventually leading her to divorce her husband to pursue this false connection. Pitt's representative emphasized the importance of not responding to unsolicited messages, especially from celebrities without social media presence, cautioning that scammers exploit fans' emotional attachments to famous figures. The scammer fabricated stories about Pitt needing money for kidney cancer treatments, further convincing Anne through fake hospital imagery. After discovering the truth, Anne expressed her remorse and the emotional toll the experience took on her, highlighting the sophistication of modern scams. Experts warn that such scams exploit human psychology, underscoring the need for vigilance when engaging online.