A self-described seasoned financial trader from northern Fiji has posed for an image with the Austrian and European flags behind her.
That’s because the woman in the image is not crypto trader Debbie Werran, as is claimed. The woman pictured is Austrian politician Margarete Schramböck.
Debbie Werran (archived here) is one of more than 100 supposed financial traders using deception and fake images to target Facebook users across the Pacific Islands.
AAP FactCheck has analysed dozens of these accounts as part of a special investigation.
Werran, who claims to be from Labasa, Fiji, and an alumnus of the University of San Diego, specifically targets people from Fiji and Papua New Guinea with the promise of huge returns on their investment.
The profile image supposedly of Werran can be traced to a 2021 Instagram post from the former Austrian minister, Schramböck.
It is not the only account to attempt to profit off Schramböck’s image and name.
Remarkably, dozens of accounts belonging to “online traders” feature her name and image.
There is no suggestion Schramböck is connected to any of the accounts.
There are also dozens of accounts belonging to so-called traders using the name Debbie Werran or Warren – many of which also use the image of the Austrian politician, examples here, here, here and here.
Werran has also posted various images of bank statements and transfer notifications as proof she is earning vast sums of money for her clients.
Among the images are statements from ANZ Bank (here and here), M-PAiSA (here and here) and Bank South Pacific (BSP) (here and here).
Even to the untrained eye, many of the statements do not appear genuine.
In this example, supposedly of an ANZ account, the “payment from” information is in a different size and font from the rest of the information.
ANZ, BSP and M-PAiSA confirmed the various images featured on Werran’s page were fake.
In a post encouraging clients to invest, Werran also includes a photo of a cheque presentation.
But this has nothing to do with trading. Instead, it depicts the presentation of prize money to a rugby union team by the Fijian government.
The Verdict
The claim a cryptocurrency trader has posted images of bank statements and transfers featuring her clients’ huge returns is false.
The images of bank statements and transfers are fake.
Additionally, the woman featured in the profile image is not Werran or any crypto trader. It is Austrian politician Margarete Schramböck.
False — The claim is inaccurate.
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