According to the revelations of the repentant hacker Marwan, the crook who extorted €830.000 à Anne pretending to be Brad Pitt is said to be from Nigeria. This fraudster, particularly active on social networks, is also said to have usurped the identity of the actor Keanu Reeves to deceive other victims. The authorities, thanks to investigations carried out in collaboration with Interpol, should proceed with his arrest in the coming days.
Anne might hope to recover some of the lost money by suing her bank, which could be held liable for lack of vigilance in transferring funds.
As a reminder, the case caused a buzz this weekend following a report broadcast on the show Seven to EightOn TF1. During his testimony, Anne explained that she was seduced by online exchanges with an individual posing asr Brad Pitt, and who nevertheless sent him rough photomontages, she was convinced that she was actually talking to the actor, and that he was in love with her. The scammer exploited her trust and vulnerability by asking her for funds for various projects, including organizing supposedly charitable events or helping with medical care. Each time, the fake Brad Pitt claimed that he had millions of dollars in his account, but that this money was blocked because of his divorce from Angelina Jolie.
In total, Anne, who had obtained a little more than 700 euros from her divorce, transferred 830 euros to the scammer, emptying her savings… The victim realized the deception a little late, the fake Brad Pitt always finding an excuse not to take her on the phone or meet her in real life. Signs that should have alerted Anne…
This type of scam, known as "emotional fraud" ou "romance scam", often targets vulnerable people looking for romantic relationships. Scammers create fake online profiles, posing as celebrities or attractive people, to gain the trust of their victims and emotionally manipulate them.
Similar cases involving online romance scams have been reported several times around the world. The French association Pharos and groups like Scamwatch have warned about these fraudulent practices, where scammers exploit the emotions and trust of their victims.
