Sandra Bullock Breaks Silence

Sandra Bullock, 2013. Photo by Richard Goldschmidt under CC BY 3.0.

Sandra Bullock is known for keeping a low profile — no Instagram selfies, no cryptic tweets. But this week, she broke her silence for a deeply personal reason. The Hollywood star issued a rare public warning about a troubling wave of social media scams involving her name — and she's making it clear that her family's safety is on the line.

A Disturbing Digital Threat

Bullock, 60, confirmed she has no presence on any social media platform. Her statement, released on Feb. 3, 2025, to PEOPLE magazine, wasn't just a PR formality — it was a plea for awareness and security. "My family's safety, as well as the innocent people being taken advantage of, is my deep concern, and there will be a time when I will comment more, but for now our focus is helping law enforcement handle this matter," the actress said according to PEOPLE. "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."

The timing was no coincidence. A day earlier, Bullock's younger sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, sounded the alarm after discovering multiple Facebook accounts impersonating her. According to Bullock-Prado, these impersonators weren't just trolling — they were luring unsuspecting victims into elaborate online romance scams.

Inside the Scam Web

Bullock-Prado shared screenshots of the phony profiles, noting how scammers pretended to be her — and falsely claimed a relationship between their fake profiles and Sandra. "These accounts are run by crime rings," Bullock-Prado wrote on Instagram, according to the Independent. "They also run fake groups where a fake me posts 'official statements.' Not me."

Bullock-Prado revealed she'd been bombarded with messages from men who believed they were romantically involved with Sandra Bullock — and some had already lost thousands of dollars. One man reportedly sent money for fake medical expenses after being convinced the award-winning actress was secretly in need of help.

This isn't a far-fetched scheme. Just weeks earlier, a French woman named Anne reportedly lost over $850,000 to scammers pretending to be Brad Pitt. The scam used AI-generated images of Pitt in hospital beds to convince her he was ill and in need of financial support.

Why This Is Happening Now

While fake celebrity accounts have existed for years, experts say this surge is fueled by the dangerous combination of AI-generated images and the fall of traditional verification tools.

Melissa O'Leary, a cybersecurity expert, warned that paid verification systems on social media platforms allow scammers to impersonate a celebrity easily. In a statement to Forbes, she said, "These impersonators defraud vulnerable communities with the use of images of verification 'blue checkmarks' and legitimate link trees in the impersonation profiles to defraud their victims. The schemes are psychological operations at their finest – the victims are manipulated into lowering their guard and, as a result, will shake off suspicions about the legitimacy of the impersonator."

Angeli Gianchandani, a professor at NYU, echoed the concern to Forbes, saying, "Today, anyone can purchase a verification badge, blurring the lines between legitimate figures and impersonators. Instead of serving as a safeguard, verification has now become a pay-to-play feature – removing the layers of authenticity that once protected consumers and businesses alike."

Meta's Response and Ongoing Frustration

In response to the reports, a Meta spokesperson told PEOPLE that the company is removing fake accounts as they are found, saying, "We continue to invest in technology to improve our detection and enforcement against scams and work with law enforcement to prosecute scammers."

But Bullock-Prado isn't convinced. She reported multiple fraudulent accounts and even passed them along to a Meta employee via a security service — yet the profiles remained active. "Surprise! They are all still up!" she wrote, according to PEOPLE.

Unlike Instagram, which has mechanisms to flag potential impersonators, Facebook has drawn criticism for being slower to act. This discrepancy, according to Bullock-Prado, leaves families like hers to fend for themselves — often requiring police support.

A Call to Action for Fans

According to PEOPLE, Sandra Bullock's message was short but pointed, saying, "Please be aware that I do not participate in any form of social media."

The warning from both Bullocks is clear — don't assume that blue checkmark means safety, and don't trust any alleged celebrity sliding into your DMs.

As social media platforms wrestle with misinformation and impersonation, the Bullock family's experience is a stark reminder that no one — not even one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood — is immune from digital deception.

References: People: Sandra Bullock Warns Fans of Social Media Scams | Forbes: Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt Fans Targeted Via Scams | The Independent: Sandra Bullock Issues Rare Statement About Family’s Safety