A story of how a romance scammer used AI-generated images of Brad Pitt to con a French woman out of $850,000 has made global headlines, sparking widespread incredulity about how someone could fall for such a scheme.
However, experts warn that scams using manipulated images and deepfakes are becoming more common as advances in technology make such fabrications increasingly convincing.
"These types of scam are certainly not new, but have definitely become more popular with the rise of AI," Komninos Chatzipapas, the founder of HeraHaven.AI told Newsweek. "This one may seem a bit extreme due to the huge amount involved, and the fact that the person was willing to go public with the story, but I'm sure they're far from being the only one.
"This isn't about the person's intellectual ability either. High quality deepfakes were just not possible two years ago. And it can be quite reality-breaking for a person that doesn't know this can be done to receive these pictures."
The victim, named only as Anne, faced a storm of online ridicule, with the scrutiny becoming so intense that her interview on the program Sept à Huit was pulled from the French channel TF1's platforms.
"Sept à Huit is a news program that deals neutrally with social issues. The report broadcast this Sunday sparked a wave of harassment against a witness. For the protection of victims, we have decided to remove it from our platforms," the program shared on X (formerly Twitter), prompting widespread discussion about how such scams ensnare their victims.
X user, @TheOscarRace, shared a collage of the deepfaked photos allegedly used to manipulate the victim, leading to a viral outcry, with many shaming the victim but some expressing sympathy.
"She deserved it," said one user.
"Old people are vulnerable. This is so sad," commented another viewer.
"Some poor lady got scammed. Why do people think it's funny," another user said.
What Happened?
According to BFMTV, the woman, named Anne, was first contacted via Facebook messenger in 2023.
Initially, the scammer posed as Pitt's mother and then she received a text message from someone posing as the Fight Club actor.
The victim, who was married to a millionaire, was drawn in over time by promises of love and eventual marriage, leading her to divorce her husband.
The con artist posing as Pitt started asking for money, blaming his financial woes on his divorce from Angelina Jolie. He also said he was receiving cancer treatment, which he convinced Anne of by using AI-manipulated images of Pitt in a hospital bed.
Who Falls Victim to These Scams?
Experts explain that romance scams often target individuals who are lonely, emotionally vulnerable or isolated.
Ex-psychiatric nurse Jessen James told Newsweek: "Our brains work on emotion, not logic. Logic tells you this could be a scam; emotion makes us fall for it anyway."
James, who is now an entrepreneur, specialising in—among other things—psychology, emphasized that scammers cater to universal human needs such as love, connection and security, making their tactics particularly effective. People new to online dating, older adults and those with low self-esteem are at greater risk, as they may overlook warning signs or ignore red flags in their desire for companionship.
How Do Scammers Manipulate Their Victims?
Scammers leverage several psychological tools to win over their victims, James explains. Key strategies include impersonating trusted figures, using deceptive language and exploiting cognitive biases.
For instance, a scammer might pose as someone familiar or admired—be it a celebrity, a friend or a government agency—to establish trust. They then use manipulative language to make their requests seem reasonable. Cognitive biases also play a role; humans often assume bad things happen to others, not themselves.
"When we're in these situations, we look for information that validates the experience as 'OK,'" James said.
Emotional manipulation, particularly through urgency and fear, is another powerful tool. Victims are pressured to act quickly, reducing their ability to critically assess the situation.
Advances in technology, such as AI-generated visuals or voice synthesis, make these scams increasingly convincing. Fake profiles and fabricated reviews can bolster the scammer's credibility.
Why Does Intellect Not Always Protect Us?
Ilia Badeev, Head of Data Science at Trevolution Group, notes that the idea that only "foolish" people fall for scams is outdated.
"Major companies are being AI-frauded every day," Badeev told Newsweek, illustrating how even tech-savvy individuals can be duped.
Badeev highlighted three key points:
- AI's Real-Time Capabilities: Niche AI models can perform tasks like voice synthesis over the phone, tricking even cautious individuals. For example, a scammer could fake a distress call from a loved one to manipulate someone emotionally.
- Deepfake Video Manipulation: AI platforms like Runway or Synthesia can create virtual avatars that convincingly impersonate real people. When combined with filters and visual tricks, these avatars can appear entirely authentic during video calls.
- AI Fraud in Professional Settings: AI is already being used in job interviews to cheat by generating perfect answers in real-time. This demonstrates how pervasive and sophisticated AI-driven deception has become.
"AI is really, really good at mimicry—that's its whole deal," Badeev said, warning that as these tools improve, the potential for abuse will only grow.
The Rise of AI-Driven Scams
Francesco Tius, corporate communications manager at cybersecurity and anti-virus multinational Kaspersky, corroborated these concerns.
"We have seen the number of AI-driven scams grow," Tius told Newsweek.
AI-generated content is not only cheap but also quick to produce, enabling scammers to scale their operations with ease.
"The ability to generate convincing—yet entirely fictional—visuals and narratives can be exploited to engineer scams with unprecedented sophistication," Tius said.
As the line between authentic and artificial content blurs, critical evaluation of digital media is more important than ever. Tius advises individuals to seek verification before acting on any information sourced from social media or any digital platform.
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