'Awful...': French woman scammed of $850,000 in catfishing scheme, Brad Pitt team responds

Washington: Brad Pitt's team has issued a response regarding a viral case in which a French woman was scammed out of $850,000 by a fraudster using AI.

The woman, named Anne, is a fan of Pitt, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Pitt's representatives condemned the scammers for exploiting the strong bond between fans and celebrities, as they impersonated the actor using AI to deceive Anne.

"It's awful that scammers take advantage of fans' strong connection with celebrities, but this serves as an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence," said a statement from Pitt's spokesperson.

The 53-year-old French woman revealed she was scammed after being convinced she was in a long-term relationship with the "F1" star.

The scammer allegedly used AI technology to impersonate Pitt, sending personalized photos and messages to Anne. She was persuaded to send nearly $1 million for cancer treatment, with "Pitt" claiming he couldn't access his bank accounts due to his divorce from Angelina Jolie. The scammer even sent AI-generated images of Pitt in the hospital to further convince Anne.

Anne reportedly realised she had been duped when she saw photos of Pitt out with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon.

Anne shared her story on a French TV show, saying, "At first, I thought it was fake, ridiculous. But I’m not used to social media and didn’t understand what was happening. I wonder why they chose me to do such harm. I’ve never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell," according to The Hollywood Reporter.