A sophisticated social media scam involving AI-generated images and elaborate impersonation schemes has targeted a French woman seeking connection online.
According to Daily Wire, a 53-year-old French interior designer identified as Anne lost approximately $850,000 to scammers who posed as Brad Pitt and his mother, using AI-generated images to perpetrate their elaborate fraud.
The scam began when someone claiming to be Pitt's mother contacted Anne through social media, telling her she was exactly the kind of woman her son needed.
Despite initial skepticism, Anne gradually became convinced of the authenticity of these communications, particularly after receiving messages from someone pretending to be Pitt himself. The scammers employed sophisticated tactics, including AI-generated photos showing the actor in supposed medical distress.
The financial exploitation occurred gradually, beginning with relatively small requests. Anne initially sent approximately $10,000 to cover alleged customs tariffs for gifts she was promised. The scammers then escalated their demands, eventually convincing her to transfer nearly $798,000 from her divorce settlement to cover supposed medical bills for kidney treatment.
Anne explained her vulnerability to the fraud during an interview with the French radio program "Seven to Eight" on the TF1 channel. She admitted her unfamiliarity with social media contributed to her susceptibility to the scam. The scammers expertly manipulated her emotions, sending carefully crafted messages that resonated with her.
The deception's impact extended beyond financial losses, as Anne divorced her husband, believing she would eventually be with Pitt. The truth only emerged when she learned about Pitt's actual relationship with Ines De Ramon through news reports.
Brad Pitt's representative addressed the incident, emphasizing that the actor maintains no social media presence. The spokesperson shared their concerns about criminals exploiting celebrity personas for fraudulent schemes, stating:
It's awful that scammers take advantage of fans' strong connection with celebrities. But this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.
The aftermath of the scam's public revelation proved particularly challenging for Anne. TF1 was forced to remove the interview after it went viral, as Anne began receiving online harassment from people criticizing her judgment. The situation highlighted the complex intersection of social media vulnerability and sophisticated AI-powered deception.
The incident has sparked discussions about the increasing sophistication of online scams utilizing AI technology. Criminal enterprises are now capable of creating convincing deepfakes and manipulated images that make their schemes more credible to potential victims. The case demonstrates how scammers exploit emotional connections and parasocial relationships between celebrities and their fans.
This particular scam showcased multiple layers of deception, from impersonating family members to creating elaborate financial emergencies. The scammers effectively utilized the ongoing publicity around Pitt's divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie to make their story more believable, claiming his accounts were frozen due to legal complications.
The widespread media attention has also raised concerns about victim-blaming in cases of sophisticated fraud, as evidenced by the online harassment Anne faced after sharing her story.
The French interior designer, identified as Anne, lost her life savings of $850,000 to scammers who expertly manipulated her using AI-generated images of Brad Pitt and elaborate impersonation techniques. The scam, which occurred over the course of a year, resulted in the victim divorcing her husband and facing public humiliation after sharing her story. The incident has prompted renewed warnings about celebrity impersonation scams and highlighted the increasing sophistication of AI-powered deception in the digital age.
