Woman Loses 110 Million in AI Romance Scam
A French woman was scammed out of €830,000 (£697,000) by someone impersonating Brad Pitt using AI-generated images and videos. The 53-year-old interior designer, named Anne, believed she was in a relationship with the actor and sent the money for what she thought was his kidney cancer treatment.
The scam began in February 2023 after Anne shared photos of her ski trip on Instagram. She received messages from accounts posing as Pitt’s mother and then Pitt himself. Anne, who was experiencing a difficult period with her millionaire husband, developed a friendship with the fake Pitt, receiving poems and affirmations. Despite initial suspicions, the daily messages and AI-generated media convinced her the relationship was genuine.
The scam escalated when the fake Pitt proposed and promised gifts, requesting payment for customs fees. He then claimed to need money for urgent kidney cancer treatment, citing his divorce from Angelina Jolie as a reason for his inability to access funds. The scammer sent AI-generated photos of “Pitt” in a hospital bed. Throughout their communication via text and photos, the scammer avoided phone calls, a common tactic in online scams.
Anne disclosed her impending divorce and large settlement to the scammer, which prompted the increased financial requests. She eventually became suspicious after seeing photos of the real Brad Pitt with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. By this point, she had sent nearly €1 million.
Anne filed a complaint in the summer of 2024, triggering a police investigation. It is unclear if she has recovered any of the money. She is currently hospitalized with severe depression.
The case has drawn attention to the dangers of online romance scams and the sophistication of AI-generated content. Social media users have expressed sympathy for Anne while also questioning how she could have been deceived. Some have highlighted the vulnerability of older people to such scams, particularly those experiencing loneliness or difficult life events.
