A representative for Brad Pitt has urged the public to avoid responding to unsolicited direct messages (DMs) claiming to be from celebrities. The statement comes after a French woman, Anne, was swindled out of $850,000 by a scammer impersonating Brad Pitt using AI-generated selfies.
“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities, but this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence,” Brad Pitt’s representative told E! News.
Brad Pitt has no social media accounts
The Hollywood star does not have official profiles on platforms such as Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or TikTok, making any online communication from him highly unlikely.
Scam began with 'message from his mother'
Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer, shared her story on the French TV show Seven to Eight, revealing that she was initially contacted by someone posing as Pitt’s mother, Jane Etta Pitt. The message claimed that ‘Brad Pitt’ “needed someone like me,” Anne recalled.
Initially skeptical, Anne admitted, “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.”
18 months of deception
Anne engaged with the scammer, believing she was chatting with the actor himself. Over 18 months, the imposter sent her poems, declarations of love, and even proposed marriage. Eventually, the fake Pitt confided that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer and needed money for treatment, alleging that his wife, Angelina Jolie, had frozen his accounts.
To substantiate the story, the scammer sent Anne doctored photos of Brad Pitt in a hospital bed and emails from a supposed doctor.
$850,000 lost in payments
Convinced of the scammer’s claims, Anne transferred over $850,000 to accounts in Turkey, believing she was funding Pitt’s cancer treatments. She also received AI-generated images, including one of ‘Pitt’ holding a note reading, “Anne love you.”
Ignored warnings from family
Anne’s daughter grew suspicious and warned her mother she was being deceived. However, Anne remained adamant, telling her daughter, “You’ll see when he’s here in person, then you’ll say sorry.”
The truth emerges
The scam unraveled when Anne saw images of the real Brad Pitt with his partner, Inès de Ramon, over the summer. “I ask myself why they chose me to do such harm like this?” Anne lamented. “I’ve never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell.”
It is not yet known whether the scammer responsible has been identified or apprehended.
