Deceived by Fake Photos and Videos from Scammers
Sent Entire Fortune After Divorce
Case Draws Renewed Attention with Publication of Book
A French woman who lost her entire fortune after being deceived by scammers impersonating Hollywood actor Brad Pitt has published a book about the incident, bringing renewed attention to the case.
A crime organization created a deepfake video impersonating Hollywood famous actor Brad Pitt using artificial intelligence (AI). Radbible
On September 25 (local time), the online media outlet Radbible reported on the case of Anne de Neuch?tel, a French woman in her 50s who was tricked by a man claiming to be Brad Pitt.
In February 2023, Anne received a message via social networking services (SNS) from a woman who claimed to be Pitt's mother, saying, "My son needs a woman like you." The following day, she was contacted by an account claiming to be Pitt himself, saying, "My mother has told me a lot about you."
Suspicious of these individuals, Anne demanded proof of identity. They responded by sending her AI-generated photos of Pitt, which gained her trust. Afterward, the scammers approached Anne daily, sending her affectionate messages and photos and videos of Pitt. Eventually, Anne divorced her husband, with whom she had a strained relationship.
Upon learning of Anne's divorce, the scammers proposed marriage to her. They claimed to have sent her luxury gifts but said Pitt's account was frozen due to his divorce lawsuit with ex-wife Angelina Jolie, and asked Anne to pay 9,000 euros (about 15 million won) in customs fees on his behalf.
Later, Anne was told that Pitt was receiving treatment for kidney cancer in a hospital and needed money. She transferred 60,000 euros (about 99 million won) to an account in T?rkiye. Although Anne became suspicious, she was reassured after receiving an email from Pitt's supposed doctor saying Pitt was fighting for his life, along with a photo of Pitt lying in an operating room.
When reports surfaced that Pitt was dating Ines de Ramon, a jewelry dealer 27 years his junior, the scammers denied the news and sent Anne a fake article claiming Pitt was dating "a very special anonymous person."
Photos and videos impersonating Hollywood famous actor Brad Pitt created by a criminal organization using artificial intelligence (AI). Radbible
Over several months, Anne ended up sending the scammers her entire fortune, totaling 830,000 euros (about 1.36 billion won), and was forced to move into a friend's house. It was only much later that Anne realized she had been scammed and notified the police. The investigation revealed that the perpetrators were a criminal organization operating out of Nigeria. After learning the truth, Anne even considered taking her own life and received psychiatric treatment.
Eight months after the case became public, Anne published a book about her ordeal titled "I Will Not Be Prey." In the book, she describes exchanging messages with the scammers multiple times a day, with them sending romantic texts such as, "My queen, you are everything I have. I love you so much." However, Anne also stated that she does not regret divorcing her ex-husband.
Brad Pitt's representatives commented on the case, emphasizing, "It is terrible that scammers exploit the strong bond between fans and celebrities."
Meanwhile, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), losses from AI-related scams across the United States last year amounted to 5 billion dollars (about 7 trillion won). Among those who reported damages, 44% of victims were in their 20s, and 24% were in their 70s.
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