How romance AI scams stole R15 million from Brad Pitt fan

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brad pitt ai scams

Today on Power FM’s Power Lunch, Pabi Moloi and I delved into an unsettling topic: AI scams and the growing sophistication of cybercriminals who impersonated Brad Pitt.

Our discussion was sparked by a case involving a French woman who lost $800,000 (approximately R15 million) to scammers who tricked her with AI-generated deepfakes.

This wasn’t just a scam… It was a wake-up call about how technology can be weaponised to exploit human emotions.

How AI is used in scams

The rise of AI has introduced a frightening level of realism to scams.

Cybercriminals are no longer relying solely on poorly written emails or crude Photoshop jobs. Instead, they’re using tools like:

  • Deepfake technology to create hyper-realistic images and videos.

  • AI-powered chatbots that mimic human communication styles and personalities.

  • Enhanced phishing tools to scam vulnerable individuals.

Weaponised emotional manipulation

In the French case, emotional vulnerability was key.

“OK, so tell us where the AI comes into this because there was some very specific trickery that happened to make her believe that a whole Brad Pitt is asking her for money.”

Pabi Moloi

The victim, Anna, had recently gone through a divorce, making her more susceptible to the scammers’ fabricated story of Brad Pitt needing financial help for cancer treatment.

Scammers use tactics like:

  • Social engineering: They research victims’ lives via social media to create personalized, convincing scams.

  • Urgency: Phrases like “I’m in trouble, please send money immediately” pressure victims into acting without critical thinking.

Why it’s so hard to catch scammers

Tracking and prosecuting cybercriminals is a global challenge.

Many operate in countries with weak enforcement or use anonymity tools like VPNs and encrypted communication.

As I noted during the interview, jurisdictional issues make it incredibly complicated for law enforcement to tackle these crimes, especially when scammers operate across borders.

How to protect yourself from AI scams

Whether you’re an individual or a business, there are steps you can take to guard against AI-driven fraud:

For individuals:

  • Be sceptical of unsolicited messages or too-good-to-be-true offers.

  • Learn how to perform reverse image searches or use Google Lens. (I wrote a guide about it not so long ago.)

For businesses:

  • Train employees on phishing and scam detection.

  • Use firewalls and behavioural analytics to monitor for suspicious activities.

AI scams: Where to from here?

The battle against cybercrime is ongoing, and both scammers and countermeasures will continue to evolve.

I hope to see:

  • International collaboration to combat cross-border cybercrime.

  • Public education campaigns to empower users to recognise and avoid scams.

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Cheryl Kahla Founder and Editor
Cheryl Kahla explores the intersections of tech and society. She covers emerging tech trends, AI, science, and gaming. Outside of writing, Cheryl indulges in martial arts and debating the merits of AI with her cat, Gotham. He is indifferent to the subject.

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