The scam which affected a 54-year-old French woman, who thought she was helping Brad Pitt, inspires the gendarmerie. A message from the police, full of humor, calls for vigilance.
The scam suffered by Anne, who thought she was giving money to Brad Pitt, became a media phenomenon. The broadcast of a report by Sept à Huit on this scam, on TF1 in mid-January, affected many French people. But beyond the emotion aroused, this scam which cost the victim 830,000 euros generated dozens of misappropriations on social networks. And if some have made fun of Anne’s naivety, others are taking advantage of the buzz about this affair to send important messages.
This is the case of the Vosges gendarmerie, which clearly has more original ideas than the seriousness that this institution suggests. The gendarmes have in fact posted a photo montage online on their Facebook account with Brad Pitt dressed in the blue outfit. “In order to realize his dream of becoming a gendarme and to make speed checks more pleasant, the Vosges gendarmerie has recruited a new reservist. He will soon operate on our roads, so remember to stop!”, writes the Vosges gendarmerie.” , we can read.
Of course, the gendarmerie has no desire to mislead road users. The police have found a surprising way to raise awareness among the French – starting with the Vosges – about these online scams which affect thousands of people each year. “Internet scams don’t just happen to others, so be vigilant! As a reminder, cyberharassment, like scams, constitutes a criminal offense. When victims have the courage to testify, they deserve support and not hateful comments,” insists the gendarmerie.
