Sandra Bullock Joins Social Media to Fight Scammers Using Her Name and Stealing From Fans

Sandra Bullock has revealed that she joined social media for a reason she never expected: to help stop scammers from using her name and likeness to steal money from unsuspecting fans.

Speaking on the “SmartLess” podcast, Bullock said she was pushed to create an official Instagram account after discovering that criminals were pretending to be her and asking people for money. She said the problem became so serious that her own family began hearing from victims.

“My sister would have people reaching out to her saying, ‘Your sister took thousands of dollars from me,’” Bullock said.

The Oscar-winning actress explained that the scams were causing serious emotional and financial harm to families. She and others close to her would sometimes contact victims directly to tell them they had been deceived.

Bullock said she had never planned to use social media and had no interest in becoming active online. But after dealing with the scams for more than a year, she decided having an official account could help people distinguish her real presence from fake accounts.

Bullock launched her Instagram account in April and has since gained around 6 million followers. Most of her posts so far have focused on “Practical Magic 2,” the long-awaited sequel to the 1998 fantasy hit starring Bullock and Nicole Kidman.

However, Bullock stressed that joining social media has not completely solved the problem.

“Once I did that, it stopped a little bit, but it doesn’t really. It’s just never-ending,” she said.

The actress had already warned fans about the scams in February 2025. At the time, she said her main concerns were the safety of her family and people being financially exploited.

Bullock also urged the public to be cautious of anyone claiming to represent her online. She said she did not participate in social media at that time and warned that accounts pretending to be her or people connected to her were fake and could be created for financial gain.

Bullock is now returning to the spotlight as she begins promoting “Practical Magic 2.” The film marks her first major movie role since “The Lost City” in 2022, although she also appeared in a supporting role in “Bullet Train” that year.

“Practical Magic 2,” from Warner Bros., is scheduled to open on September 10.