Sandra Bullock is the latest celebrity to be caught up in Internet scams, and she is speaking up. The actress penned an emotional statement to warn her fans of online impersonators and the damage done to her personal life.
“My family’s safety, as well as the innocent people being taken advantage of, is my deep concern,” she began. “There will be a time when I will comment more, but for now, our focus is helping law enforcement handle this matter.” Although Bullock didn’t elaborate on the situation at hand, she concluded her statement to People:
“Please be aware that I do not participate in any form of social media. Any accounts pretending to be me or anyone associated with me are fake accounts and have been created for financial gain or to exploit people around me.”
Bullock’s impassioned message comes after her sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, lamented about people impersonating her to get to the Oscar winner. Tagging Mark Zuckerberg and Meta in an Instagram rant, Gesine wrote:
“I spend multiple times a day reporting fakes, dealing with weird & scary emails to my BUSINESS and HOME from men who believe that, through one of these many fake ‘me’s, they have a relationship with my sister through private messages.”
Screenshots of several fake profiles of the Bullock sisters were attached to the post.
Sandra Bullock Impersonators Scam Fans ‘Thousands Of Dollars’
Gesine further explained how the male victims “have been giving (sometimes) THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to an incredibly famous and successful grown-assed woman.” She complained about the “lack of safety and response” from Meta, recalling how she filed reports, but to no avail. She further described the impersonators as being run by “crime rings” and how they put her livelihood in “danger.” Bullock’s sister then advised followers and fans:
“If you see a fake account, are friended or messaged by one, report and block.”
Gesine, of course, referenced a recent incident involving actor Brad Pitt, where a woman was scammed of $850K. A French woman filed a complaint about an impersonator on Facebook, which led her to believe she was dating the actor. Using AI to generate a picture of a sick Pitt, the victim was convinced to send $850K for cancer treatment.
Following the tragic incident, a rep for the Fight Club star issued a statement. “It’s awful that scammers take advantage of fans’ strong connection with celebrities,” it read.
“This is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence.”
With Brad Pitt and Sandra Bullock speaking out about the rise in celebrity scams, fans can hopefully take heed.
