A French woman has faced ridicule on social media after being defrauded of over €830,000 (£700,000) by imposters masquerading as the Hollywood star Brad Pitt.
The 53-year-old interior designer, identified only as Anne, believed she was in a year-long romantic liaison with the Fight Club and Ocean’s Eleven actor.
However, after sharing her experience with journalists, the ensuing harassment prompted the French television network TF1 to retract her interview.
“The episode aired this Sunday has led to a surge of abuse directed at the individual,” TF1 presenter Harry Roselmack posted on X.
“For the sake of victim protection, we opted to remove it from our services,” he continued.
At the time of the airing, Anne was reportedly battling severe depression.
Anne recounted on TF1’s Seven to Eight program that she was first contacted on Instagram by someone claiming to be Pitt’s mother after she started using the platform.
“She explained that her son required someone like me,” Anne stated. The fraudsters reached out again a few days later, this time presenting themselves as Brad Pitt.
Anne revealed she began conversing with the impersonated actor around February 2023 on various social media and messaging applications, including WhatsApp.
Images from the TF1 program have circulated extensively online, featuring several AI-generated visuals of Brad Pitt in a hospital setting, crafted to deceive Anne into believing she was communicating with the 61-year-old star.
Brad Pitt with partner Ines de Ramon at the Venice film festival. Photo credit: AP
Discover more from Sky News:
Police investigate ‘spiking’ in Parliament
Tommy Fury discusses Molly-Mae split
William enjoys a pint in Wetherspoons
‘I truly didn’t comprehend’
“Initially, I told myself it was a hoax, that it was absurd,” Anne shared with TF1. “However, I am not familiar with social media and I genuinely did not grasp what was unfolding.”
Fraudsters started demanding funds, alleging that Brad was hospitalized with kidney cancer and required money for his treatment. They claimed his bank accounts were inaccessible due to divorce proceedings with ex-spouse Angelina Jolie.
Eventually, she consented to transfer a significant amount of money to a Turkish bank account after receiving an email from the fictitious star’s “doctor”.
Scammers ‘deserve damnation’
Anne disclosed that she came to the realization she had been conned after seeing photos of the genuine Brad Pitt with his current companion, Ines de Ramon.
“I wonder why they selected me to inflict such damage?” she confided to TF1. “I have never harmed anyone. These individuals merit damnation.”
Authorities are looking into the fraud, but the interview has sparked various social media jokes regarding Anne’s plight.
French publication Sud Ouest reported that Anne was in the midst of divorce proceedings with a millionaire entrepreneur and required hospitalization for severe depression following the deception.
A representative for Brad Pitt conveyed to Sky News: “It is dreadful that con artists exploit fans’ intense connections with celebrities.”
They emphasized it serves as “a crucial reminder not to respond to unsolicited online communications, particularly from actors who lack a social media presence.”
