Brad Pitt’s team has warned fans sternly, clarifying that the actor does not send private messages or request money online. This announcement comes after a devastating scam left a French woman, Anne, without her life savings.
The 53-year-old interior designer shared her story on France’s TF1 channel, revealing how scammers exploited her admiration for the Hollywood star. Pretending to be Pitt and using AI-generated images to make their claims seem authentic, the fraudsters convinced Anne to send $850,000.
“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities,” Pitt’s representative told Entertainment Weekly. The spokesperson also emphasized the importance of avoiding unsolicited online messages, particularly from actors who are not active on social media.
Anne recounted how the scam began with a message from someone claiming to be Pitt’s mother on Instagram. This was followed by interactions with individuals impersonating Pitt himself, who falsely claimed they were in a romantic relationship.
To gain Anne’s trust, the scammers concocted a story that Pitt needed money for kidney treatment, alleging that his bank accounts were frozen due to his divorce from Angelina Jolie. They even sent fake photos of the actor in a hospital bed to solidify their deception.
Believing the relationship was genuine, Anne divorced her husband and transferred her life savings to the scammers. “I was in love with the man I was chatting to,” she confessed in an interview with Seven to Eight.
This isn’t the first time Pitt impersonators have targeted fans. In 2024, a similar scam in Spain defrauded two women of $350,000.
Although Anne has filed a police report, the ordeal has left her battling depression. TF1 decided to pull the segment from circulation to protect Anne from cyberbullying.
Pitt’s representatives urge fans to remain cautious and skeptical of any messages claiming to be from celebrities, particularly if they involve financial requests. This incident serves as a stark reminder to stay vigilant against online scams.
