The 53-year-old victim, an interior designer, transferred a total of 830,000 euros (£697,000) in what she believed were payments for actor Brad Pitt urgent cancer treatment. The scam began when she shared photos of her lavish ski trip on Instagram, prompting a message from someone claiming to be Brad Pitt’s mother. A day later, she received a second message from an account pretending to be Pitt himself, saying his mother had spoken highly of her.
The woman, who was struggling in her marriage to a wealthy businessman, quickly developed an online relationship with the account, which began in February 2023. The fake “Brad Pitt” sent her poems and sweet messages, leading her to feel emotionally connected. “There are so few men who write you like this. I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done,” she told French channel TF1, as reported by BFMTV.
Initially skeptical, the victim soon began to trust the account as the scammer sent convincing AI-generated photos and videos. The relationship took a dramatic turn when the fake Pitt proposed to her and promised extravagant gifts. The only catch: she had to pay customs fees to receive them. Over time, the payments grew, reaching a total of 9,000 euros (£7,566).
Scammer Tricks Woman into Believing She’s Dating Brad Pitt
As the scam progressed, the fraudster intensified their requests for money. When the woman mentioned she was expecting a large divorce settlement, the scammer seized on the opportunity, asking her to help fund urgent kidney cancer treatment. The fake Pitt claimed to be unable to access funds due to his ongoing divorce from Angelina Jolie. To further convince her, the scammer sent AI-generated images of “Brad Pitt” in a hospital bed.
Despite her growing suspicions, the victim continued to send money, as the scammer never made himself available for phone calls, a common tactic of online fraudsters. Over the next months, she transferred nearly a million euros. Her doubts were only piqued when she saw Brad Pitt publicly with his new girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, in the media.
Realizing she had been scammed, the woman turned to authorities, who launched an investigation. It is unclear whether she has been able to recover any of the money she lost.
As of now, the victim is reportedly hospitalized with severe depression. Many have expressed sympathy for her, with one user on X commenting, “Romance scams are the cruellest.” Others pointed out the need for caution when dealing with online relationships, questioning why the victim didn’t verify the claims about Pitt’s supposed hospitalization.
One commenter shared a personal story, saying, “My stepmom keeps sending money to a cello player. My father and I keep telling her it’s a scam, but she just keeps buying gift cards. It’s heartbreaking how lonely and lost people can get, especially older individuals, to the point where they become delusional.”
In Other News – Uzalo’s Nothando Ngcobo (Hlelo) sets the record straight after being spotted at Gagasi FM
Uzalo actress Nothando Ngcobo sets the record straight after pictures of her emerged while she was in Gagasi FM studios sitting behind a mic.
Nothando was invited on the Gagasi FM midday show on Wednesday, 8 January, as a guest presenter. The show is co-hosted by Siphokuhle Luthuli and Mkay Music.
After that, she posted pictures on Instagram and fans congratulated her saying she deserves to be on Gagasi.
But the 30-year-old from Hammarsdale, west of Durban, told Daily Sun she didn’t say she was employed by Gagasi FM in her post. read more…
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