Woman Loses $850,000 in Brad Pitt Catfishing Scam

PARIS, France — A 53-year-old French woman lost $850,000 in an elaborate catfishing scheme where scammers impersonated Hollywood actor Brad Pitt, according to a report on French news show Sept à huit.

The woman, identified only as Anne, told the show that the scam began in September 2023 when she was contacted on Instagram by someone claiming to be Pitt’s mother, Jane Etta Pitt. The scammer allegedly introduced Anne to a person posing as Brad Pitt, who then engaged her in a year-long online relationship.

“I’m not used to social media,” Anne said during her interview. “And I didn’t really understand what was happening to me.” She described receiving love poems and messages from the impersonator, who she believed was the real Brad Pitt. “There are so few men who write you this kind of thing,” she added. “I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done.”

The scam escalated when the fake Brad Pitt claimed he needed urgent surgery for kidney cancer and that his bank accounts had been frozen by his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie. Anne transferred $850,000 to an account managed by the scammers, believing she was helping save his life. “It hurt me to do it,” she said, “but I told myself that I might save a man’s life.”

Anne realized she had been scammed after seeing tabloid reports about Pitt’s real-life relationship with Inès de Ramon. She reported the incident to French police, who launched an investigation last summer.

In a statement to E! News, a spokesperson for Brad Pitt addressed the situation. “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities,” the spokesperson said on Jan. 15. “But this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.” Pitt does not have verified accounts on major platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or X (formerly Twitter).

Following the airing of Anne’s story on Sept à huit, the episode was removed from the show’s website due to online harassment directed at her. French network BFMTV reported that Anne was hospitalized with severe depression after the ordeal.