Editor's view: When scams become a laughing matter

The victim in question, who faced public ridicule after appearing on the show, had been tricked into thinking she was in a long-distance relationship with Brad Pitt. The furore again highlights an issue that helps scammers thrive and keeps authorities and victims in the dark: shame and blame. The woman in the highly publicised Brad Pitt case was reportedly married to a wealthy entrepreneur when she was targeted. She spent a year and a half talking to ‘Brad' who blamed his divorce for frozen bank accounts. ‘He' even sent images (these were AI generated) of himself in a hospital bed fac...