A 53-year-old woman from France has become a target of a romance scam, believing she was assisting a sick Brad Pitt. The con started with messages on Instagram from someone posing as Brad Pitt’s mother, which led to communications from someone claiming to be Brad Pitt himself, filled with loving poems and affectionate words. Initially, the woman had her doubts, but she was eventually convinced by AI-generated images and videos depicting a supposedly ill Brad Pitt suffering from cancer. Over a span of two years, she transferred approximately 830,000€ (around $854,000) to a bank account in Turkey. It wasn’t until photos surfaced of Brad Pitt with his new partner, Ines de Ramon, that the woman decided to alert the authorities about the scam.
The Rise of AI-Generated Deceptions
This instance highlights the growing threat posed by deepfakes and the challenges in telling real images apart from fakes. There are many similar incidents happening; just recently, an impostor portraying Elon Musk was featured in fake AI videos to facilitate a financial scam. Investigations are currently underway for both situations, but it remains unclear if the criminals will be caught anytime soon.
Understanding Romance Scams
Romance scams involve internet fraud where the culprits pretend to have romantic feelings to exploit their victims financially. They often create fake profiles on social media or dating sites to connect with potential victims. Experts recommend exercising caution when meeting new people online. One should be especially wary if the person quickly expresses strong emotions, solicits personal details, or asks for money. To verify the identity of the other party, it’s best to organize a real-life or face-to-face meeting as soon as possible.
Daily Express US, TheOscarRace via X, RMIT Australia
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