Hollywood is in disbelief after a French woman fell victim to an elaborate scam involving people pretending to be none other than Brad Pitt. The victim, a 53-year-old interior designer named Anne, reportedly lost a staggering $850,000 and, shockingly, even her marriage. She believed she was in a romantic relationship with the World War Z star, all while the scammers posed as him.
Brad Pitt’s team responded to the disturbing incident through Entertainment Weekly, expressing their dismay: “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities.” They also issued a cautionary reminder to fans, especially those of the Bullet Train actor, saying, “This is an important reminder to avoid responding to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”
Anne’s ordeal began when she was first contacted on Instagram by an account claiming to be Brad Pitt’s mother. Soon after, a separate account posing as the actor himself reached out and began asking for money. The scammer claimed they needed funds for kidney treatment, and they fabricated a story about Brad’s bank account being frozen due to ongoing divorce proceedings.
To make the scam even more convincing, the fraudsters sent Anne AI-generated images of Brad Pitt, further reinforcing the illusion. Tragically, Anne became so convinced by the scam that she divorced her husband, fully believing she was about to enter into a romantic relationship with the actor.