Spanish police have arrested five individuals accused of scamming two women out of €325,000 (US$361,261) by impersonating Hollywood actor Brad Pitt through online and WhatsApp messages.
The suspects contacted the victims via a fan page dedicated to the Oscar-winning actor, convincing them that they were in a romantic relationship with Pitt, according to Spain’s Guardia Civil police force.
Posing as Pitt, the gang members allegedly persuaded the women to invest in fictitious projects.
One of the victims, from Andalusia, was defrauded of €175,000 (US$195,000), while the other, from the Basque Country, lost €150,000 (US$166,725).
“The cybercriminals had studied the victims’ social media profiles and created psychological profiles, identifying them as vulnerable individuals who were emotionally isolated and experiencing depression,” the police stated.
The scammers used messaging platforms to communicate with the women, ultimately convincing them that they were chatting with Brad Pitt himself, who promised them a romantic relationship and a future together.
The police arrested five suspects in Andalusia, including the alleged ringleaders of the group. During the raids, officers seized mobile phones, bank cards, two computers, and a diary containing scripted phrases used to deceive the victims.
Authorities managed to recover €85,000 (US$94,474) of the money stolen from the two women.