WHAT WAS CLAIMED
Professional-looking crypto traders are securing huge returns on investments.
OUR VERDICT
False. The "traders" use fake profile images, client photos and bank transfers.
AAP FACTCHECK - Self-described crypto traders are promoting themselves by deceitfully using the images of European politicians in a bid to appear credible.
Social media users in Fiji are being targeted, with the "traders" also using fake images of bank transactions and happy clients brandishing wads of money in a bid to get people to hand over their savings.
The accounts share many similarities with those identified in an AAP FactCheck investigation in February 2024.
The latest batch of Fijian pages typically use images of female European politicians and make references to God.
There is no indication that the politicians whose identities are being used, or the pages on which they appear, are in any way involved in trading.
One page, using the name "Philip James Fx", features the profile photo of Fiji's former attorney-general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who can be identified in this RNZ story.
Another Facebook page under the name "Kristen Elizabeth Fx" carries the profile photo of Ukraine's economy minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, identifiable in this Ukrinform story.
The page shares a story from January 23, 2025, purportedly showing a client, "Mrs Kenny", who has "received her profit from our company trading platform one day ago" — the post includes a video of a woman showing a $2000 payment on her phone.
A reverse image search shows that the same video is used on multiple social media accounts predating the "Mrs Kenny" version, under various names, such as Mavis Wanscky, or Mrs Mavis.
The account also features supposed images of digital bank statements, showing huge returns.
However, the bank in question, M-PAiSA, has previously told AAP FactCheck the statements are fake.
The profile photos of Swedish member of the European Parliament, Arba Kokalari, are used on an account called "Lsabella FX". The profile photo from the account is the same as one shared by a story on Facebook about Albanians who are part of the Swedish parliament, from 2024.
A Facebook account under the name "Mrs Lillian FX trading" features a photo of Albanian politician Bora Muzhaqi. She is easily identifiable from her Instagram account.
Two separate Facebook accounts, under the names "Debbie Werren FX" and "Fx Debbie Warren" use photos of German politician Anke Rehlinger.
The "FX Debbie Warren" page also features a post that suggests her clients have been awarded cheques for between $2000 and $10,000.
One of the photos has been taken from a LinkedIn story on an employee of the Fiji Development Bank winning an award. The other photo features in a story on the FBC (Fijian Broadcasting Corporation) News website about members of the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua team being awarded $8000 each.
A Facebook account under the name "Lillian Grace Fx" uses the photo of Moldovan politician Irina Vlah — the actual photo is taken from Ms Vlah's own website.
A Facebook account under the name "Eunice Edit Fx" features photos of Austrian politician Simone Schmiedtbauer.
A photo posted on that page on January 23 claims to show "Mrs Albitos Corpuz" who was able to buy a new family home following her investment.
However, a reverse image search reveals the photo is actually of a Seattle-based content creator of a different name.
In a post on her authentic social channel from December 2023, she explains her family bought the home thanks to her work as a content creator and her husband's promotion.
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