A French woman who lost her life savings to scammers posing as Hollywood star Brad Pitt is seeking justice, as her legal team works to identify at least three Nigerians accused of orchestrating the fraud.
The victim, identified as 53-year-old Anne by French broadcaster TF1, was deceived into believing she was in a romantic relationship with the 61-year-old actor. The scammers reportedly used AI-generated images to make their scheme more convincing.
This case highlights a growing trend where Nigerian fraudsters, already notorious for various online scams—especially romance scams—are now leveraging artificial intelligence to defraud victims.
A Costly Deception
Anne revealed to TF1 that the scam began when someone, posing as Pitt’s mother, contacted her on Instagram after she shared pictures from a ski trip in Tignes. The fraudsters claimed that Pitt urgently needed money for kidney treatment, alleging that his bank accounts were frozen due to legal disputes with his ex-wife, Angelina Jolie.
Falling victim to the elaborate deception, Anne transferred €830,000 ($850,000) to the scammers. Her lawyer, Laurene Hanna, confirmed the staggering loss.
In an effort to track down the perpetrators, Anne has enlisted the help of Marwan Ouarab, founder of FindMyScammer.com. According to French newspaper Le Parisien, Ouarab has traced the suspects—three men in their 20s—to Nigeria.
Authorities’ Response
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has stated that it can only investigate the matter if an official petition is submitted.
“A petition is required for the EFCC to take action,” EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale told AFP.
The Rise of ‘Yahoo Boys’ and AI Scams
Nigeria has long struggled with a reputation for internet fraud, with scammers locally referred to as “Yahoo Boys.” Their influence in pop culture surged after Afrobeats artist Olu Maintain released “Yahooze” in 2007, a song that glorified online fraud.
Over the years, multiple Nigerian artists have referenced cyber fraud, also known as “419 scams”—a term derived from Nigeria’s criminal code for fraud.
Authorities have cracked down on high-profile suspects, including:
- Naira Marley (2019): The musician was arrested on conspiracy and credit card fraud charges. His case is set to resume in March.
- Shallipopi (2023): The artist, real name Crown Uzama, was arrested with his manager for alleged internet fraud.
- Ramon Abbas (2022): Known as Hushpuppi, he was sentenced by a U.S. court to 135 months in prison for laundering tens of millions of dollars through online scams.
AI: The Next Weapon in Online Fraud
Cybercrime experts warn that the integration of AI and deepfake technology into scams marks a dangerous evolution of fraud tactics.
“The use of AI could erase the progress made in fighting cybercrime and set us back 20 years,” cybersecurity expert Timothy Avele told AFP.
Romance scams, sextortion, and the infamous “Nigerian Prince” email frauds have been around for years. However, AI now allows scammers to create more convincing personas, making their deception harder to detect.
Social Media Giants Take Action
Last July, Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, deleted 63,000 Instagram accounts linked to sextortion scams originating from Nigeria. The company blamed “Yahoo Boys” for the fraudulent accounts.
We’ve banned Yahoo Boys under our Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy, which means we remove their accounts whenever they are detected engaging in criminal activity – Meta Stated
Shortly after the crackdown, two Nigerian brothers—Samuel and Samson Ogoshi—were sentenced to 210 months in prison each for sexually exploiting and extorting more than 100 victims, including minors.
Foreign Cybercrime Syndicates Exploiting Nigeria
Cybercrime syndicates from other countries are also taking advantage of Nigeria’s weak cybersecurity enforcement, using it as a base for global fraud operations.
“Foreign cybercrime groups find Nigeria a profitable place to set up operations,” Avele explained.
The EFCC has pledged to tackle AI-enabled crimes, with recent mass arrests showing their commitment.
- January 2024: EFCC arrested 792 suspects in Lagos, including 148 Chinese nationals, linked to online fraud.
- January 16, 2024: Authorities raided a “cybercrime training center” in Edo State, arresting 25 suspects.
A Growing Challenge
As scammers continue to evolve their tactics, authorities worldwide are facing increasing challenges in combating online fraud. With AI now being weaponized in scams, victims like Anne serve as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in the digital world.
Authorities urge the public to remain cautious when engaging with unknown individuals online, especially those requesting financial assistance.
Discover more from Ebira Online
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
