French Woman Scammed Out of €830,000 by Impersonator Using AI to Pose as Brad Pitt
Authorities in La Réunion are investigating a sophisticated online romance scam that targeted a 53-year-old woman, leveraging fake identities and AI-generated content.
- A 53-year-old French woman, identified as Anne, was defrauded of €830,000 by scammers posing as actor Brad Pitt in a romance scam spanning February 2023 to June 2024.
- The scammers used AI-generated selfies, falsified documents, and fabricated medical emergencies to manipulate the victim into sending money.
- Anne's story, initially shared in a TF1 documentary, led to widespread online harassment, prompting the broadcaster to remove the replay from its platforms.
- Brad Pitt's representatives have warned fans about the dangers of online scams exploiting celebrity identities, highlighting the risks of AI technologies in such schemes.
- Experts emphasize the need for greater digital literacy and targeted awareness campaigns to protect vulnerable individuals, particularly older adults, from online fraud.
Le Nouvel Obs 
Marianne 