Spanish police have arrested several scammers who impersonated Brad Pitt and swindled women out of thousands of euros.
On Monday, Spanish police announced the arrest of five individuals accused of defrauding two women out of €325,000 by pretending to be the American actor Brad Pitt. The news was reported by AFP.
The suspects contacted the women through a fan page of the Oscar-winning actor, convincing them they were in an “emotional relationship,” according to a statement from the Spanish Civil Guard. The scammers then persuaded the women to invest in fake projects. One woman from Andalusia lost €175,000, while another from the Basque Country was scammed out of €150,000.
The cybercriminals researched the victims’ social media profiles and created psychological profiles, identifying them as vulnerable, emotionally isolated individuals suffering from depression, the police said.
They communicated with the women through WhatsApp, leading the victims to believe they were speaking with Brad Pitt, who “promised them a romantic relationship and a future together,” the statement added.
