5 Arrested Over Fake 'Brad Pitt' Scam In Spain; Actor Responds (Image-Instagram/bradpittofflcial)
After police arrested five people accused of scamming two women of Spain pretending to be Hollywood actor Brad Pitt online, the actor finally made a comment over the issue through his representative.
The Oscar winner, who does not have any official social media accounts, issued a warning through his representative on September 25. In the statement, the actor’s representative said that it’s awful that scammers took advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities.
The representative also warned the fans stating that it is an important reminder to not to respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence, said to PEOPLE.
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The online scam came into spotlight when a woman from Andalusia in Southern Spain was defrauded of 175,000 euros (approximately Rs 2 crore), while another woman from the Northern Basque Country lost 150,000 euros (over Rs 1 crore).
The police arrested five individuals from Andalusia and conducted raids on at least five homes related to the case. Several mobile phones, two computers, bank cards and a diary containing phrases used to deceive victims were seized by the police.
The scammers employed a variety of tactics to gain the trust of the victims, impersonating as Brad Pitt and contacted through a fan page. Promising a romantic relationship, the victims were made to invest in several nonexistent projects. The women were targeted through a well planned monitoring of their social media activity.
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Over the issue, Spain’s Guardia Civil police said that the cybercriminals made a psychological profile of the victims through the close observation of their social networks. Thus, discovering that both women were vulnerable, lacking in affection and in a state of depression.
The victims were then targeted through instant messaging platforms with messages and emails, which eventually made them believe that they were chatting with Brad Pit via WhatsApp.
