A woman from France has revealed that she was deceived into sending nearly €830,000 (£700,000) to a man she believed was the actor Brad Pitt, who claimed he needed financial help for cancer treatment.
The 53-year-old woman, identified as Anne, was initially contacted via social media by someone posing as the actor’s mother in February 2023. Just a day later, she received another message, allegedly from Pitt himself, which read, “Hello Anne, my mother told me a lot about you. I would like to know more.”
Anne explained in an interview with French news channel TF1 that she was going through a difficult period in her personal life and felt she could confide in the person. “In fact, we’re talking about Brad Pitt, I’m falling from the clouds. At first, I tell myself it’s fake, but I don’t really understand what’s happening to me. After that, we contact each other every day and become friends,” she recalled.
She described how the man behind the fake account knew exactly how to charm her. “There are so few men who write you this kind of thing. I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done.”
The scammer claimed that he was struggling to pay for cancer treatment due to his ongoing divorce from actress Angelina Jolie, which was settled in December 2024. To convince Anne, the scammer sent AI-generated images of “Pitt” in a hospital, holding up cards with personalized messages. The individual also refused to speak on the phone, saying they were too busy.
As their online relationship developed, Anne eventually agreed to marry the person behind the account once she received €775,000 (£652,310) from a divorce settlement with her husband. Over time, she sent substantial amounts of money, convinced that the scammer would send her luxury gifts in return, such as bags from Chanel and Hermès. However, she was asked to pay an additional €9,000 (£7,575) in customs fees, which she never received back.
Anne’s suspicions grew when she saw Brad Pitt with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, in public. At this point, she decided to involve investigators, and the scam was exposed. Anne is reportedly now receiving treatment for severe depression in a hospital clinic, and it remains unclear if she will ever recover the money she lost. Authorities have opened an investigation into the case.
This incident follows similar reports of people being scammed by individuals impersonating celebrities. Brad Pitt’s representative has previously warned the public about such scams, emphasizing the importance of avoiding unsolicited online contacts, especially from actors who do not have a social media presence.
An investigation is ongoing, and representatives for Brad Pitt have been contacted for further comment.
