Image credit: Grok/X

French interior designer Anne, 53, has become the center of national attention and ridicule after falling victim to a scam involving an AI-generated persona of actor Brad Pitt. She was defrauded out of $850,000, leading to significant personal and financial devastation.

The story unfolded on a TF1 primetime program that aired last Sunday, detailing how Anne believed she was in a romantic relationship with Brad Pitt for over a year.

Following the broadcast, Anne faced a brutal wave of online mockery, prompting TF1 to remove the segment due to the "wave of harassment" it sparked. Despite its withdrawal from television, the program can still be accessed online.

Read more: The dangers of AI fakes

Anne explained on a popular French YouTube channel that she was not "crazy or a moron," but rather "just got played."

She admitted her vulnerability in the scam, hoping her story would serve as a cautionary tale for others. A representative for Brad Pitt condemned the scam, stressing the dangers of responding to unsolicited online communications, especially from celebrities known to avoid social media.

The scammers initiated contact through Instagram, where Anne was approached by someone claiming to be Pitt's mother, Jane Etta, who suggested that her son needed someone like Anne. This was followed by direct messages from someone posing as Pitt.

The scam escalated with requests for money for customs on luxury gifts and later for supposed medical treatments for kidney cancer, backed by AI-generated hospital photos.

Anne, who was going through a divorce and had recently been awarded €775,000, transferred her entire settlement to the scammers under the belief she was helping Pitt. Her daughter voiced her struggles in trying to dissuade her mother, highlighting the emotional toll the scam took on their family.

The deception unraveled when real photos of Brad Pitt with his new girlfriend surfaced in the media, and despite the scammers' attempts to reassure Anne with a fake news report, she finally ended the relationship.

The scammers then attempted another scam under the guise of an FBI agent, leading Anne to report the fraud to the police, who are now investigating.

The aftermath left Anne financially ruined and emotionally devastated, having attempted suicide three times following the ordeal. In a tearful plea, she asked for help in finding those responsible, emphasizing the cruelty of her situation.

Public reaction has been mixed, with some mocking Anne for her gullibility, while others sympathized, pointing out the sophisticated nature of modern cyber scams involving AI.

A supportive post on X highlighted the challenge of recognizing deepfakes for those less tech-savvy, while an op-ed in Libération portrayed Anne as a "whistleblower" to the perils of an increasingly AI-driven digital landscape.

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