France launches probe into AI Brad Pitt scam

Newswire

Saint-Denis De La Reunion: The authorities in France’s La Reunion this week launched a probe to identify fraudsters who scammed a woman out of €830,000 (S$1.17 million) by making her believe she had an online relationship with actor Brad Pitt.

The police are trying to locate the accounts that received the transfers from the French woman, who has lodged a complaint in the Indian Ocean island, a police source said on Jan 17.

The woman, identified only as Anne, told the TF1 TV channel she believed she was in a romantic relationship with the Hollywood heartthrob, leading her to divorce her husband and transfer €830,000.

The scammers used fake social media and WhatsApp accounts, as well as AI image-creating technology, to send Anne what appeared to be selfies and messages from Pitt.

Anne, a 53-year-old interior decorator, spent a year and half believing she was communicating with Pitt. She realised she had been scammed only when news emerged of Pitt’s real-life relationship with girlfriend Ines de Ramon.

Since last autumn, Anne has been in touch with Mr Marwan Ouarab, the founder of the FindmyScammer.com website, in a bid to find the fraudsters.

According to French daily Le Parisien, which quoted Mr Ouarab, the scammers – three men in their 20s – are located in Nigeria.

“We would love for Interpol to take up the case,” the newspaper quoted him as saying.

The woman has faced a wave of online harassment and mockery after the interview was broadcast, leading the programme to be withdrawn.

A representative for Pitt, 61, has warned fans to be wary of impersonation scams.

“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities,” a spokesperson for the Fight Club actor told US outlet Entertainment Weekly this week.