Sandra Bullock has broken her silence to issue a stern warning about online scammers impersonating her, expressing her deep concern for both her family’s safety and the innocent victims being taken advantage of.
In a rare public statement, the Miss Congeniality star, 60, made it clear that she has no presence on social media and urged fans to be cautious of fraudulent accounts attempting to exploit her name.
“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,” Sandra shared in a statement to People on Monday, February 3.
“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,” she added.
Sandra’s urgent plea came after her younger sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado, took to Facebook over the weekend to expose a disturbing rise in scam accounts falsely claiming to be her.
“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 and off-app sites and have been giving (sometimes) THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to an incredibly famous and successful grown-assed woman,” Gesine, 54, wrote on February 2, sharing screenshots of several fraudulent accounts.
Gesine revealed that despite reporting the imposter accounts to Facebook and a security service, they remained active. “Surprise! They are all still up!” she wrote, expressing her frustration over the platform’s lack of action.
© NBC“When I report, I also report to a security service that gives the account addresses directly to a Meta employee,” she continued. “These accounts are run by crime rings that also run fake groups where a fake me posts ‘official statements.’ Not me. This is my only account, and y’all know it’s about baking, cooking, animals, and gardening. I’m a grown-assed middle-aged woman with a life, and I don’t troll around at 54 DMing people.”
Determined to protect others from falling victim to these scams, Gesine urged her followers to report and block any suspicious accounts. “If you see a fake account, are friended or messaged by one, report and block,” she advised.
She also revealed that she had been forced to involve law enforcement due to the severity of the situation, praising officers for their swift response. “The only reason I stay on FB is to monitor this for my own knowledge so I am aware of the danger coming at me,” she explained.
© GettyGesine further criticized Facebook’s handling of these fraudulent accounts, pointing out that Instagram has been much more effective in addressing similar issues. “Strangely, Insta handles these things and even informs me when someone creates an account that may be an imposter. But FB? Same company with same tech? Can’t be bothered,” she wrote.
It’s been nearly a year since the tragic passing of photographer Bryan Randall, Sandra Bullock’s partner of nearly eight years, after a battle with ALS.
Sandra has receded from the spotlight in recent months, choosing to grieve and lead her life privately while raising her two children, Louis, now 14, and Laila, 12.
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