A French interior designer fell victim to an elaborate online scam, losing over $800,000 after being deceived by a fraudster posing as Hollywood icon Brad Pitt. The scammer, armed with AI-generated images, videos, and fake documents, convinced Anne, 53, that she was in a romantic relationship with the actor. Persuaded by promises of love and marriage, she divorced her husband and handed over her entire settlement, believing she was helping Pitt through cancer treatment amid his divorce battle with Angelina Jolie.
How did the elaborate love scam begin?
The scam that would ultimately leave Anne devastated began innocently enough. In February 2023, she created an Instagram account to share snapshots of her skiing holiday in the Alps. Shortly after, she was contacted by someone claiming to be Jane Etta Pitt—the real name of Brad Pitt’s mother—who introduced herself in English with an intriguing message: “My son needs a woman like you.”
The following day, “Brad Pitt” himself appeared in her messages, also communicating in English, expressing an eager interest in getting to know her better. Anne was understandably skeptical at first, saying: “We’re talking about Brad Pitt here, and I was stunned. At first, I thought it was fake, but I didn’t really understand what was happening to me. After that, we got in touch every day and became buddies.”
Although new to social media, Anne sought proof of the man’s identity. She was presented with what seemed to be convincing evidence: images of his passport, messages from individuals claiming to be close to the actor, and AI-generated photos and videos that appeared to be personalized for her. “I thought he had taken these photos for me,” she recalled, believing the deception.
How the scammer won the victim’s heart
Over the course of 18 months, Anne’s connection with the fake Brad Pitt deepened, transforming into what she believed to be a genuine and passionate online romance. The impostor sent her heartfelt poems and declarations of love that swept her off her feet. Speaking to the French documentary show Sept à huit, Anne shared: “There are so few men who write to you like that. I loved the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, and it was always very well put together.”
Unlike her husband, who she said had shown little interest in her work, the scammer seemed to admire her profession as an interior designer. This emotional attention, coupled with the illusion of romance, led Anne to divorce her husband, receiving a settlement of approximately $800,000.
The fraudster’s deception escalated when the fake Brad Pitt proposed marriage, a gesture that almost convinced Anne to say yes. To advance the ruse, he claimed to have sent her luxury gifts, but insisted she needed to pay $9,200 in customs duties to retrieve them, explaining that his accounts were frozen due to his ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie.
The height of the deception
The scam took a darker turn when Anne was convinced that “Brad” had been hospitalized and urgently needed money for kidney cancer treatment. In a panic, she wired $62,000 to an account in Turkey.
Though Anne had lingering doubts, the fake Brad Pitt’s “doctor” reassured her by email, claiming that her “lover” was in a critical condition and “fighting for his life.” Despite the financial strain, Anne said, “It was difficult, but I thought I might be saving a man’s life.”
When Anne’s daughter cautioned her about the possibility of being scammed, Anne stubbornly responded, “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll apologize.”
The reality began to set in during the summer of 2024, when Anne saw news of the “real” Brad Pitt with his new partner, Inès de Ramon. Yet, the fraudster sent a fabricated news flash dismissing these reports, claiming that Brad was actually seeing a “very special person” instead.
Things took another deceptive turn when someone posing as an FBI agent contacted Anne, offering to “rescue” her from the scam for $5,200. Once again, Anne wired the money.
The devastating aftermath
Anne has filed a legal complaint for fraud. But is it too late? By this point, nearly destitute, Anne was forced to sell all her furniture and move in with a friend. She eventually set up an online fundraising campaign, seeking financial support to cover the legal costs of her case.
After battling overwhelming despair, Anne attempted suicide three times. According to Télévision Française 1, she was later admitted to a specialized depression clinic, where she began seeking help for the profound emotional toll the scam had taken on her.
A familiar scam
This is not the first instance of fraudsters exploiting Brad Pitt’s persona. In September of the previous year, five individuals were arrested in Spain for scamming two vulnerable and emotionally distressed women out of $335,000. The fraudsters posed as the Hollywood star, using online and WhatsApp communications to manipulate their victims.