Spanish police have arrested five individuals accused of defrauding two women out of €325,000 ($343,000) by posing as Hollywood actor Brad Pitt.
Thought They were in a Relationship
According to Digi24 the suspects contacted the women through a fan website dedicated to the Oscar-winning star, leading the victims to believe they were in romantic relationships with Pitt.
Once trust was established, the scammers convinced the women to invest in non-existent projects. One victim from Andalusia lost €175,000 ($184,700), while the other from the Basque Country was swindled out of €150,000 ($158,300).
Spanish police, the Guardia Civil, revealed that the cybercriminals created psychological profiles of their victims by studying their social media, identifying that both women were vulnerable, lonely, and suffering from depression.
Impersonated Brad Pitt
Using messaging platforms like WhatsApp, the scammers impersonated Pitt, promising romantic relationships and a future together.
This manipulation deepened the women's belief that they were communicating with the real actor.
Police arrested five suspects in southern Andalusia, including the alleged ringleaders of the scam. During their operation, authorities searched five homes, confiscating mobile phones, bank cards, two computers, and a journal detailing the fraudulent phrases used to deceive the victims.
Authorities were able to recover €85,000 ($89,800) of the stolen funds.
