Two women fell victim to a scam involving a fake Hollywood star who promised them a romantic relationship.
Spanish authorities have apprehended five individuals for defrauding two women of €325,000 ($363,000) by posing as Hollywood star Brad Pitt through emails and WhatsApp messages.
The suspects initiated contact with the victims via a fan page dedicated to the Oscar-winning actor, leading them to believe they were involved in a romantic relationship with him, according to a statement released by the Guardia Civil on Monday.
Assuming Pitt’s identity, the scammers allegedly persuaded the women to invest in non-existent projects.
One woman, residing in the southern region of Andalusia, was swindled out of €175,000 ($195,000), while another, from the northern Basque Country, lost €150,000 ($167,000). The police managed to recover €85,000 ($95,000) of the total sum.
“The cybercriminals, to ensnare their victims, had scrutinized their social networks and developed a psychological profile of them, revealing that both women were vulnerable individuals, lacking affection and experiencing depression,” the statement indicated.
According to the police, members of the gang utilized instant messaging platforms to exchange messages and emails with the two women “until they reached a point where they believed they were communicating via WhatsApp with Brad Pitt himself, who promised them a romantic relationship and a future together.”
The two women reportedly made multiple bank transfers to the individual they were convinced was Pitt, until they realized they had been scammed and contacted the authorities.
Police are also investigating ten other individuals as part of their investigation codenamed Operation Bralina, which has spanned eight Spanish provinces.
Investigators discovered that, as part of the fraud, a network of bank accounts had been established using fake identity documents.
They have conducted raids on five residences, seizing several mobile phones, bank cards, two computers, and a diary “in which the phrases used by the fraudsters to deceive their victims were documented.”