Brad Pitt’s rep shared his reaction to multiple scammers pretending to be the movie star on social media, which resulted in several victims being tricked out of more than $350,000.
“It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities, and this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence,” the actor’s spokesperson said, per People.
A recently published press release from Spain‘s Ministry of the Interior detailed some of the alleged crimes, including scam artists pretending to be Pitt and initiating online relationships with the victims. These individuals then had the women transfer money into various accounts by claiming they were investing in his upcoming projects, the outlet noted.
The scammers “managed to make these women believe they had become so close to the well-known American actor that they believed they had a romantic relationship with him,” the docs said. One woman was duped into transferring around $167,000, while another got bilked out of approximately $195,500.
So far, five total suspects have been arrested in connection with the scam and were charged with crimes including fraud, money laundering, and forgery, per Spanish authorities.
Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!
The victims were targeted through Brad Pitt fan pages. The 60-year-old “Ad Astra” star has no official authorized social media accounts on Instagram, X, Facebook, or TikTok.
Pitt has voiced his disinterest in using social media in the past. He told GQ during a 2014 interview that he sees social media as being more trouble than it’s worth.
“Listen, I see a benefit in it. You could, you know, combat the misconceptions or the misquotes immediately. And if I’d have had that in my younger days, I’d have used it,” the actor said at the time.
“Because I felt quite used, and completely misunderstood, and misread, and not given the benefit of the doubt,” Pitt continued. “You know, I felt that a lot in my first years. I would have brought some logic to the table, and brought it immediately. But now, at this point, I don’t want to bother with it.”
In 2019, the actor said he didn’t “see the point” in creating an Instagram account.
