How woman was duped out of $850,000 after leaving her husband because she thought she was dating Brad Pitt

A French woman claims she lost €830,000 (£697,000) after falling victim to a scammer posing as Brad Pitt alleged he needed her money to fund his 'cancer treatment'.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison states that since 2020, phishing and scam activity has increased by a whopping 95 percent. It’s estimated that this year, scams powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will reach more than $10 trillion (£8.4 trillion), with criminals using the tool to convincingly clone voices, create faux websites and employ celebrity deepfakes to prey on vulnerable people’s emotions.

One woman who claims she is a victim of one of these unsettling attacks is a 53-year-old called Anne.

Anne was scammed by an account posing as Brad Pitt (TF1)

Metro reports that she believed she received a message from actor Brad Pitt in February 2023 after speaking to someone claiming to be the 61-year-old’s 'mother', Jane Etta Pitt, 85.

The Facebook message allegedly read: "Hello Anne, my mother told me a lot about you. I would like to know more."

Anne, who was married to a millionaire during the AI scam, allegedly thought of the fraudulent account as somewhat of a confidant.

"In fact, we're talking about Brad Pitt, I'm falling from the clouds,” she said to French channel TF1, via BFM TV. "At first, I tell myself it's fake, but I don't really understand what's happening to me. After that, we will contact each other every day and we become friends."

"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."

BFM TV reports that the scammer sent her poems and declarations of love during their months of correspondence.

It’s also claimed they promised to shower her with lavish gifts, and even proposed.

The scammer would use AI to generate photos of 'Brad Pitt' in hospital (TF1)

At one point, the faux account asked her for a €9,000 custom fee so they could 'send her presents' from Chanel, which she reportedly never received.

It’s understood Anne, who works as an interior designer, decided to leave her husband, gaining a tidy sum through her divorce settlement.

Soon after, the scammer claimed they couldn’t afford to pay for ‘cancer treatment’ due to the divorce proceedings between Pitt and his ex-wife Angelina Jolie, 49, which was settled in December, 2024.

Despite initially being suspicious, doubts were eradicated when 'Brad' sent AI-generated photographs from his hospital bed, holding up placards with Anne’s name and phrases such as 'I love you'.

Unfortunately, alarm bells didn’t ring for Anne until she spotted the real actor out with his girlfriend Ines de Ramon, 32, who ELLE Magazine claims he has been dating for around two years.

She had reportedly sent the scammer nearly one million euros (€830,000) over the course of the relationship, per MailOnline.

The AI-generated photos initially appeased the woman (TF1)

It’s understood the victim is now receiving inpatient treatment for severe depression. An investigation into the fraud case is reportedly underway.

The Babylon star has since responded to the viral scam, and he is naturally unimpressed by the swindle.

"It’s awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities," a spokesperson said on behalf of Pitt, before sharing a general reminder about internet safety.

"This is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online messages, especially from actors who are not present on social networks."

LADbible Group has previously contacted Brad Pitt’s representatives for comment.