New Delhi: Scammers impersonating famous celebrities are nothing new. In a shocking case, Spanish police have arrested five individuals for defrauding two women out of €325,000 (over Rs 3 crore) by pretending to be Hollywood star Brad Pitt. The scammers reached out to the victims via emails and WhatsApp. They faked romantic interest and convinced them to invest in bogus projects.

How did the scammers find and target their victims?

The scammers initially connected with the women through a Brad Pitt fan page. They built a fake sense of trust and used emotional manipulation to execute their scheme. They carefully researched the victims’ online profiles, especially on social media to find and target those who seemed vulnerable.

Targeting Vulnerable Individuals

Spanish authorities disclosed that the scammers specifically targeted women going through emotional struggles and personal difficulties. “The cybercriminals studied the victims’ social media profiles and created psychological profiles, discovering that both women were vulnerable, lonely, and battling depression,” Spain’s Guardia Civil police told The Guardian.

One victim from Andalusia was scammed out of €175,000 (around Rs 2 crore), while another victim from the Basque Country lost €150,000 (over Rs 1 crore).