French Woman Loses Fortune to Scammers Behind AI-Generated Images

French woman, Anne, must have been taken aback when she received messages on Instagram from AI scammers claiming to be Brad Pitt. On January 12, French television channel TF1 aired an episode of its show "Sept à Huit," telling the story of Anne, a 53-year-old interior designer who lost 830,000 euros (approximately $850,000) in personal funds because she believed she was sending money to a cancer-ridden Pitt. 

The con artists falsified documents and images with AI innovation to make Anne believe she was in a relationship with the 61-year-old actor. Previously, she was contacted in February 2023 on Instagram by a person who introduced themselves as Pitt's 85-year-old mother, Jane Etta Pitt. 

How It Started

According to Anne, she received a message saying "It’s a woman like you that my son needs." Initially, she felt it was fake but she was gradually sucked in, and even blamed her lack of experience with social media platforms. However, she proceeded with the conversation with 'Jane' and was eventually messaged by the alleged Brad Pitt. 

"My mother told me a lot about you," the scammers wrote. What followed was countless romantic messages, poetry, and AI-doctored photographs. The operation was in different phases, including fake participants posing as Pitt's manager and daughter, Shiloh, who he shares with ex-wife Angelina Jolie. 

Over time Anne wanted more communication with the actor, especially visually. The scammers obliged by sending her AI-curated videos, which further reeled her in. Money entered the conversation when she was told to cover expenses of more than 9,000 euros in customs tariffs to accept luxury gifts from the person posing as Pitt.

Anne made it known to the con artists that she'd received a hefty divorce settlement of 775,000 euros. After this admission, the Pitt impersonator confided in Anne, telling her that he had kidney cancer and was struggling to pay for his treatments due to his ongoing divorce saga with Jolie. This prompted Anne to send most of her divorce settlement to the fake Pitt.

Throughout the alleged treatment, they sent Anne a series of doctored pictures depicting the fake Pitt's time in the hospital receiving treatment. Several pictures and videos were sent, including one where Pitt lies in a hospital bed holding a card that reads, "Anne I love you." 

Anne almost broke things off when rumors of Pitt's relationship with businesswoman Inés de Ramon hit the headlines. Still, the scammers convinced her it wasn't true, and sent a fake TV report, which clarified the couple wasn't together. However, photos of the couple were released over the summer, leading Anne to believe it was all a huge con and seeking legal redress. 

A Question of Ethics 

Brad Pitt (the real one) has no verified social media presence on any platform, and has come out to debunk any association with Anne's story. He further warned unsuspecting people to be wary of communication with supposed celebrities, which could be scammers hiding behind multiple aliases. 

While AI is on the rise and has proven to be a useful technology, the question of ethics remains. More regulations about usage and prevention of criminal tendencies must be looked into.