The owner of an art gallery in Nottingham fell victim to a sophisticated AI scam, believing she had secured a prestigious exhibition featuring Hollywood star Pierce Brosnan’s artwork. After months of communication, Simone Simms discovered that the person she had been speaking to was not the real Brosnan but an AI-generated fraud. Tricked by a fake Pierce Brosnan, Simms suffered significant financial and emotional losses—losing her gallery, facing legal issues over sold tickets, and damaging her reputation.
Fraudsters Used Deepfake Technology to Imitate Pierce Brosnan
In January 2023, Simms reached out to what she believed was Pierce Brosnan’s official Facebook page, offering to showcase his artwork in her gallery. Soon after, she was contacted by someone claiming to be the actor, receiving over 200 messages and voice recordings via Telegram over several months.
The fake Brosnan even arranged a video call, claiming to be at his Hawaii mansion. His face appeared highly realistic, but he insisted there were audio issues. Two of Simms’ friends also joined the call and believed the deception was genuine.
Fully convinced, Simms began promoting the exhibition and selling tickets, with VIP passes—offering a meet-and-greet with Brosnan—going for as much as £500. However, the real Pierce Brosnan later saw the event advertised on social media and publicly exposed it as a scam.
£30,000 Gallery Lost After Scam Exposure
Realizing the truth, Simms immediately refunded £20,000 to ticket buyers. However, the damage to her reputation was irreversible, and she lost the trust of her customers. In August 2024, she was forced to close her gallery.
Expressing her frustration, Simms stated, “It was wrong for Pierce Brosnan to make me look like the guilty one. I was just a fan who got scammed. He is a victim too, but he should acknowledge that I was also deceived.”
Source: Patronlar Dünyası/ Prepared by: İlayda Gök