Sandra Bullock Joins Instagram to Stop Likeness Scams
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- Sandra Bullock revealed on the "SmartLess" podcast (via People) that she joined Instagram to stop scammers using her name and likeness to defraud people out of money — a problem she said began "about a year and a half ago."
- Scammers posing as Bullock tricked victims out of thousands of dollars, with one woman telling Bullock's sister: "Your sister took thousands of dollars from me."
- Instagram rapidly grew Bullock's audience to 6 million followers after she joined in April, though many assumed she signed up to promote "Practical Magic 2" — the majority of her 14 posts are tied to the sequel.
- Bullock told People in February 2025 that "my family's safety, as well as the innocent people being taken advantage of, is my deep concern," and said she was working with law enforcement.
- Bullock acknowledged that joining Instagram reduced the scams "a little bit, but it doesn't really. It's just never-ending," and said she "had no intention of ever going on social media."
- "Practical Magic 2" opens Sept. 10 from Warner Bros., marking Bullock's first movie role since 2022's "The Lost City" and a small supporting turn in "Bullet Train."
Why it matters: Bullock's case illustrates how celebrity impersonation scams became disruptive enough to force a famously private Oscar winner onto social media against her stated wishes. Her admission that joining Instagram only curbed the scams "a little bit" underscores how limited even an official account is as a defense against fraudsters who co-opt a celebrity's likeness.
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