In 2022, romance scams reported to the FTC resulted in $1.3 billion in losses, with an average of $4,400 per victim. In a notable case, a French decorator named Anne was duped out of 830,000 euros by someone impersonating Brad Pitt. The relationship, built on trust over 1.5 years, relied on manipulative tactics that included the use of AI-generated images. After public ridicule, the original interview was removed from television, highlighting the misperception that such scams can't happen to anyone.
I was in love with the man I was chatting to. He knew how to speak to a woman.
The faux Pitt sent Anne poems and songs to keep her in thrall.
For the protection of victims, we have decided to withdraw it from our platforms.
This lie unfortunately worked, and Anne sent the scammer the money she received in her divorce proceedings.
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