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A French woman identified as Anne lost a reported €830,000—about $855,000 in The Guardian’s conversion—after someone posing as Brad Pitt persuaded her to send money. Reports say the impersonator used fake social-media and WhatsApp accounts, AI-generated images, and a fabricated story about needing cancer treatment. The reported fraud took place from February 2023 to June 2024.
How the fake Brad Pitt romance scam worked
Anne, a 53-year-old French interior designer, believed she was in a long-term online relationship with the actor, according to The Guardian. Police Fédérale Belgium places the fraud between February 2023 and June 2024 and says the scammer successively posed as Pitt’s mother, a doctor, and Pitt himself (Police Fédérale Belgium).
The Guardian reported that the contact began through fake social-media profiles and continued on WhatsApp. Anne said the person sent images resembling selfies, including AI-generated images of Pitt in a hospital, as well as what appeared to be a copy of his passport. The impersonator claimed he needed money for cancer treatment and could not access his accounts because they were frozen during divorce proceedings. Those claims were the reported pretext for the requests; they are not established facts about Pitt.
Anne reportedly realized she had been deceived after seeing a photograph of Pitt with his partner. The Guardian said the television programme reported that she filed a police complaint.
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What the €830,000 figure means
Police Fédérale Belgium reported a loss of €830,000. The Guardian rendered that amount as $855,000; the dollar figure is a conversion, not a separately reported loss. The sources describe the loss in connection with events from 2023–2024.
Investigation and the impact of the viral story
Le Parisien reported on 16 January 2025 that a financial-brigade investigation was underway and that no suspect had been identified at that time. That is a historical update, not confirmation of the investigation’s present status. The sources cited here do not establish whether anyone was later identified or whether any money was recovered.
The story also brought public ridicule. The Guardian reported that the TF1 segment went viral, that Anne faced online mockery, and that TF1 removed it from replay services on 14 January 2025. The Guardian also reported TF1’s statement that Anne had experienced serious mental-health difficulties, including severe depression and hospitalization. Mockery does not make the harm to a person who has been defrauded less real.
A spokesperson for Pitt, in a statement obtained by E! News and quoted by The Guardian, said: “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities,” and called the case “an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”
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France’s official Service-Public.fr guidance distinguishes reporting information to investigators from filing a formal complaint. Its page, verified on 18 March 2025, describes the relevant routes and eligibility conditions; check the live guidance for current instructions: Arnaque aux sentiments : escroquerie, chantage, sextorsion.
- THESEE report: The government says a person can report a virtual romance scam through THESEE when there has been a request for money; payment does not have to have been made. A report informs investigators but is not itself a formal complaint.
- Online formal complaint: The page describes online complaint filing for specified virtual relationships involving a request for money, subject to the stated criteria.
- Other complaint routes: In other circumstances, the guidance directs people to a police station or gendarmerie, or to send a letter to the prosecutor. A complaint can be filed against an unknown perpetrator (plainte contre X).
These are France-specific procedures. Use the government page to determine which route fits the circumstances rather than assuming that a report and a complaint are interchangeable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.If you have sent money or shared financial details
- Contact your bank promptly. Explain what happened and what information or payment details were disclosed. Service-Public.fr advises contacting the bank to oppose or contest operations in situations where the scammer holds certain banking information. What the bank can do depends on the payment and account circumstances; reimbursement is not guaranteed.
- Use the appropriate reporting or complaint route. Consult the Service-Public.fr guidance above for THESEE, eligible online complaints, and other formal complaint options.
- Keep relevant records. Preserve messages, profile details, payment records, and other material that can help explain the events when you speak with your bank or authorities.
The Guardian’s reporting also shows why convincing-looking images are not proof of identity: the reported images included AI-generated depictions, but that does not establish that every message or image in this case was made using AI. Verify an unexpected online identity independently, and treat requests for money—especially urgent medical or account-access stories—as a reason to stop and check through a trusted channel.
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