On BFMTV, the spokesperson for the National Police provides advice on avoiding scams on social networks, following the scam suffered by a fifty-year-old who lost 830,000 euros by scammers posing as Brad Pitt.
A barely believable story which sparked massive reactions on social networks. A fifty-year-old accuses scammers of having taken 830,000 euros from her by pretending to be American actor Brad Pitt.
The victim, who testified in the program “Sept à quatre” broadcast this Sunday on TF1, says she received fake selfies and falsified identity documents from the crooks. The financial brigade of Reunion Island, where the victim has been based for several weeks, has opened an investigation for “fraud.”
“It’s not the victim’s place to be ashamed”
This type of scam is not isolated. “In 2023, we have had 3,300 'romance' complaints. The record we have seen is 910,000 euros of damage and in December we recorded 530,000 euros of damage. We regularly have six-figure complaints of damage. C “It's quite edifying,” Sonia Fibleuil, spokesperson for the National Police, told BFMTV. “It's not the victim's place to be ashamed. The perpetrator is entirely responsible for the manipulation that led to the scam,” she said.
For her, there are several techniques to spot these scams. “We have to try to translate what happens in virtual conversations into real life. Let's imagine that after one, two or three meetings with someone physically, they ask us for a large sum of money . Well, we wouldn't do it,” she says.
-Sonia Fibleuil recalls that there is “the 17-Cyber platform (…) which consists of dialoguing with police officers and gendarmes specialized in cyber security.”
“So, if you have any doubts, you can ask for advice on this platform and you will be directed to the type of offense you are facing,” explains the spokesperson for the National Police.
For his part, actor Brad Pitt reacted, via his spokesperson, warning fans of the actor not to respond to “any solicitation.”
Related News :