The affair has caused a lot of reaction since the publication of a report by Seven to eight (TF1) on the subject. Anne, 53, recounts the romantic fraud she suffered, when a man pretending to be Brad Pitt took from her the dizzying sum of €830,000.
From the American media Entertainment Weeklythe actor wanted to react. “It’s awful that scammers are taking advantage of the strong connection fans have with celebrities”he denounced Tuesday January 14, 2025, then through one of his spokespersons.
“You should not answer unsolicited calls”
The star, however, sees it as an opportunity to broadcast a warning, particularly to his fans. “This reminds us that we should not respond to unsolicited calls online, especially from people who are not active on social media,” he added.
It was in February 2023 that Anne was added to Facebook by Jane Etta Pitt, a fake account posing as Brad Pitt’s mother, who supposedly put her in touch with the famous actor. The trap closes in on her and over the months, a fictitious romantic relationship develops between the two of them. The fake Brad Pitt demanded hundreds of thousands of euros from him, supposed to cover his hospitalization costs, claiming to have kidney cancer. An investigation is underway.
What to do in the event of a romantic scam?
If you yourself are afraid of being victimized, or if you have already suffered a romantic fraud, cut off all communication with the person in question, keep the evidence and inform your bank. It is strongly recommended to file a complaint.
To obtain advice, the cybermalveillance.gouv website reminds you that you can contact:
- The France Victimes federation at 116 006 (free call and service), a help number for victims of the Ministry of Justice. Service open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Info Scams platform of the Ministry of the Interior on 0 805 805 817 (free call and service). Service is open from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
