A French woman, known as Anne, shared her tragic story after being scammed out of $850,000 by someone pretending to be actor Brad Pitt using AI. Anne, an interior designer, is now homeless, battling severe depression, and staying with a friend while trying to recover her lost money.
Anne’s lawyer, Laurène Hanna, revealed that her client has faced cruel online reactions, being called “naive” and “stupid,” which drove her to attempt suicide. Hanna emphasized that love scams are not new and that victims deserve compassion and support, not judgment. The lawyer is helping Anne take legal action against her French bank, which allowed her to transfer large sums of money overseas without proper checks.
The scam began when the fraudsters contacted Anne online, pretending to be Brad Pitt. At the time, Anne was going through a divorce and became friends with the scammer, who sent her fake images of Pitt in a hospital. They convinced her to send money, claiming the actor needed funds for cancer treatment but couldn’t access his bank accounts due to divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie.
Anne realized the truth after reading about Pitt’s real-life relationship with Ines De Ramon and reported the scam to the police. Pitt’s representatives condemned the fraud, reminding fans to be cautious of unsolicited messages online, especially from actors without social media accounts.
This heartbreaking case highlights the dangers of online scams and the need for better protections for victims.
Source: tribune
