In a story that underscores the growing dangers of digital deception, a French woman has fallen victim to a romance scam involving an imposter posing as Hollywood superstar Brad Pitt. The elaborate con unraveled over 18 months, costing the woman a staggering $850,000 and leaving her heartbroken and humiliated.
The scam began when a woman named Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer navigating a divorce from her millionaire husband, received an unexpected message. The sender? Supposedly Brad Pitt’s mother, Jane Etta Pitt, claiming her famous son “needed someone like [Anne].”
Initially skeptical, Anne found herself swept into a web of lies and manipulation. “We’re talking about Brad Pitt here, and I was stunned,” she told French TV show *Seven to Eight*. “At first, I thought it was fake, but I didn’t really understand what was happening to me.”
The scammer, posing as Pitt, employed AI-generated selfies and convincing messages to build trust. Over time, Anne believed she was speaking to the twice-named “Sexiest Man Alive” and Oscar-winning actor himself.
As their conversations deepened, the faux-Pitt poured on the charm with love poems, declarations of devotion, and even a marriage proposal. But the romance took a dark turn when the scammer claimed to have been diagnosed with kidney cancer. To make matters worse, the con artist alleged that Pitt’s ex-wife, Angelina Jolie, had frozen his bank accounts, leaving him unable to pay for treatment.
Anne, eager to help her “beloved,” began transferring money to a Turkish account. The scammer sent doctored hospital photos and even an email from a fake doctor to support the ruse. One AI-generated image showed the fake Pitt holding a sign that read, “Anne love you,” further cementing the illusion.
Despite warnings from her daughter that she was being conned, Anne refused to believe it. “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll say sorry,” she told her daughter.
Reality struck when Anne saw real-life photos of Brad Pitt with his girlfriend, Inès de Ramon. The betrayal left her devastated. “I ask myself why they chose me to do such harm like this? I’ve never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell,” Anne lamented.
The fallout has been brutal. After her story aired, Anne faced cyberbullying, forcing the French network TF1 to pull her interview.
This tragic tale is a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online. Pitt’s representative urged the public to ignore unsolicited messages from supposed celebrities, emphasizing that Pitt has no social media presence.
In an era where AI and digital trickery are increasingly sophisticated, stories like Anne’s serve as a cautionary tale. For scammers, no deceit seems too low, and for victims, the emotional and financial toll can be devastating.
Let this be a lesson: Beware of wolves in Hollywood’s clothing.
