A fake Brad Pitt strikes again. While in France, Anne Deneuchatel admitted last year to having sent nearly 830,000 euros to a scammer, believing she was in a relationship with the actor, here the story begins again. This time in Switzerland, where Patricia (not her real name) also fell into the trap of a cheap Brad Pitt. All this to live a beautiful story.
Contacted by Instagram via the actor’s “manager”
The story begins for this Swiss retiree in May 2024, via a simple message on Instagram. Surprise ! This is Brad Pitt’s manager, who wants to put her in touch with the 61-year-old actor.
Too good (and cheap) to be true? And yet, the single woman rushes headlong into this budding story which is taking shape message after message. For a year, the ersatz Brad Pitt gave him fiery declarations like “My love, you are my everything now and forever” which fill Patricia with joy.
But as she questions her feelings, the relationship takes another turn.
107,000 euros spent on a dream
This is where the grazer, pretending to be the star, then asks her for $50,000 in order to meet her at the Venice Film Festival (a festival to which the real Brad Pitt will go accompanied by Inès de Ramon, his real companion). Missed appointment!
Patricia receives flowers and a word of apology”I love you so much baby. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you. Pitt.”
Far from being cooled, the retiree did not hesitate to send him $10,000 for supposed medical expenses and to pay $20,000 to go and meet him in the United States. A trip that will end with 3 weeks spent in a hotel…alone.
The dream really ends when Patricia learns the story of Anne, the French victim. She finally decides to alert the police, files a complaint and calls on a private detective to trace her crooks based in Nigeria.
The result: nearly 100,000 Swiss francs gone, or around 107,000 euros.
The victims all have this flaw
Are Anne, like Patricia, completely naive? Maybe. But they are not the only ones. In France, 12,000 romance scams were reported in 2024 alone. According to the website cybermalveillance.gouv, romance scams consist of the scammer making the victim develop feelings towards him in order to extract money. A practice that works especially on a certain profile, explains clinical psychologist Johanna Rozenblum.
“People who fall victim to online romance scams often have in common a certain
solitude or a need for affection, especially if they are going through a period of emotional fragility such as bereavement, separation, difficulties in their relationship or at work.
Consequently, these scams particularly affect mature women, often isolated, but it can concern people of all ages and from all backgrounds.
“They sometimes seek a sincere connection and trust individuals who exploit this vulnerability by being caring and flattering. Scammers play on emotions, creating believable stories to justify demands for money, and take advantage of the idealization of romantic love or lack of distrust in online dating.”
How to avoid online grazers?
To protect yourself from online romance scams, it is essential to remain vigilant and develop critical thinking. So, even if (and especially if) you are looking for love:
- Never share personal or financial information with anyone you have not met face to face;
- Be wary of overly perfect profiles or quick declarations of love, especially if the relationship begins online;
- Check the stories for inconsistencies, and if possible, do a reverse image search of the photos your interviewer used;
- Never give in to requests for money, whatever the reason or urgency given;
- Take the time to talk about this relationship with loved ones or friends to get an outside perspective;
- Finally, learn to recognize the typical signs of scams, such as constant excuses for not meeting or complicated stories justifying financial needs.
“If you have any doubts, block and report the profile to the platform concerned,” she insists. “When we are in a situation of psychological fragility, care, help and comfort are rarely found through a virtual relationship…”
If you think you are also a victim
Finally, if you think you too are the victim of a grazer, the government site indicates the procedure to follow:
- Immediately interrupt any relationship with the scammer (even if he or she appears threatening);
- Keep evidence or any information that you can use to report the scam to the authorities;
- File a complaint by providing all the evidence in your possession;
- Inform the website where the scammer approached you so that they can take necessary action;
- If you have provided banking information, inform your bank and regularly monitor your bank account transactions.
An Info Scam platform from the Ministry of the Interior can also be reached at 0 805 805 817 (free call and service).