Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer from France, found herself at the center of an unsettling story involving romance fraud and advanced technology. Having fallen prey to scams impersonating actor Brad Pitt, she lost a staggering €830,000 (approximately $850,000), leading to not only financial ruin but also extreme emotional distress. This tragic occurrence has sparked a broader conversation about the risks associated with online interactions and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in scams.
A representative for Brad Pitt stated the unfortunate reality of predatory tactics that exploit the connection people feel with celebrities. They emphasized the importance of being cautious with unsolicited messages and highlighted that the famous actor does not maintain a social media presence. Following the stirring revelations of Anne's plight, which included multiple suicide attempts, TF1, a major French broadcaster, withdrew a program featuring her interview amid public mockery but still made it accessible online.
Anne's nightmare began in February 2023, when she was contacted via Instagram by someone claiming to be Pitt's mother, Jane Etta. Soon after, she interacted with an individual purporting to be the star himself, who alerted her to supposed difficulties related to his finances following his divorce from actress Angelina Jolie. Vulnerable and emotionally invested, she began transferring money under the impression it would support the actor, believing she was assisting a man in dire need.
As the months progressed, requests for funds grew increasingly desperate, with the scammer employing fake medical reports and AI-generated images of "Pitt" in hospital beds. Convinced that she was saving a life, Anne drained her financial resources, even after her marriage ended and she received a significant settlement. Her daughter expressed her concern during this time, recognizing her mother’s excitement but worrying for her well-being.
Compounding Anne's heartache, her struggles became public when images surfaced of the real Brad Pitt with his new girlfriend, escalating her doubts about the authenticity of her online romance. Scammers continued to manipulate her emotions, including sending a fake news report associating Anne's name with Pitt's. Ultimately, Anne realized she was being scammed when the fraudulent requests escalated further, urging her to assist a supposed "FBI agent."
With an ongoing police investigation into the scam, Anne’s story has raised critical awareness of the increasingly blurred lines between reality and deception driven by AI technology. While many online responded with mocking comments, some defended her, acknowledging the manipulative power of deepfakes that many older generations may not recognize.
An opinion piece in Libération articulated the dangers of such cyber traps in our modern digital landscape, with the potential for AI to only exacerbate the vulnerability of individuals like Anne. Despite enduring a painful journey, she aims to raise awareness and encourage others not to fall victim to similar tech-facilitated scams, declaring, “These people deserve hell.” Anne's plight serves as a cautionary tale in an era increasingly defined by technology and deception.
