It sounds like a headline ripped from a satirical site, but sadly, it’s all too real.
A French woman was conned out of $850,000 by someone pretending to be none other than Brad Pitt.
That’s right—the Hollywood A-lister, who presumably has enough cash to buy a small country, apparently “needed” her help.
This scam started where many modern disasters do: in the DMs.
The impersonator reached out on Instagram, claiming to be Pitt himself.
The messages were charming, personal and slowly escalated into requests for money. The scammer even sent out images that were AI-generated or morphed.
The scammer didn’t stop at fake videos and promises of love. He crafted an intricate story to extract money. He claimed his bank accounts were frozen due to a messy divorce with Angelina Jolie, leaving him unable to access his funds.
To add urgency, he said he needed money for an emergency kidney surgery. Pulling on her heartstrings, he managed to persuade her to send money—repeatedly.
Over time, he convinced her that they had a “real connection” and a future together—so much so that she divorced her husband, believing she would soon be with Pitt.
She only realized she had been duped when Pitt appeared on the news with his new girlfriend.
The real Brad Pitt was blissfully unaware of her existence, shattering the illusion and leaving her devastated.
By the time the scam unraveled, the woman had sent a staggering $850,000.
Why Do People Fall for This?
At first glance, this story might make you roll your eyes. How could someone fall for something so obviously fake?
But here’s the thing: Scams like this aren’t about logic—they’re about EMOTION.
Think about it.
A lonely person gets a direct message from a “celebrity” they’ve admired for years.
It feels like fate, a once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Scammers are pros at playing into those emotions. They weave stories that sound just believable enough, keeping their victims hooked while draining their bank accounts.
According to experts, romance scams, especially those involving fake celebrity accounts, are on the rise. In 2022 alone, victims reported losing over $1 billion to online romance fraud.
The numbers are likely even higher because many people are too embarrassed to report it.
This is not a problem for one unlucky woman in France. It’s a warning of how vulnerable we all are in the digital age.
Also, this woman is just plain dumb. I mean, look at this image the scammer sent her.
Scammers are getting smarter, blending fake profiles with stolen photos, even deepfake videos, to create convincing illusions. They exploit trust and loneliness, and by the time the victim realizes something’s off, it’s often too late.
So, how do you avoid falling into a trap like this? First and foremost, remember this golden rule: If it sounds too good to be true, it is.
No celebrity is sliding into your DMs asking for cash, and no stranger who claims to love you after three messages is legit.
A spokesperson for Pitt issued a statement,
“It is 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.”
What’s your take—are scams like this a result of our naive hearts, or is it a deeper issue with how we connect online?
With technology like AI making scams more convincing, what can we do to stay one step ahead?
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