A self-described cryptocurrency trader has posted several images of bank transfer notifications and her happy clients in a bid to attract investors.
But the notifications are fake and the images of supposed clients are unrelated to crypto trading.
Ana Mary (archived here) is one of more than 100 alleged financial traders using deception and false images to target Facebook users in the Pacific Islands.
AAP FactCheck has analysed dozens of these accounts as part of a special investigation.
Mary claims to be based in Nigeria and markets herself to Facebook users in Papua New Guinea with a promise of huge returns on their investment.
However, the profile picture (screenshot here) does not depict Mary or any crypto trader.
Instead, it shows Austrian politician Margarete Schramböck with the image taken from a 2021 post from her Instagram.
Schramböck’s name and image is used by dozens of similar self-described traders across Facebook.
There is no suggestion Schramböck is linked to any of the accounts.
Confusingly, Mary has also posted images of different people in which she appears to refer to herself, here and here.
There is no suggestion the women pictured are connected with the account.
Mary regularly posts images of bank statements and transfer notifications as supposed proof she is earning large sums of money for her clients.
In particular, she posts notifications from Bank of South Pacific (BSP), examples here and here.
A bank representative told AAP FactCheck the statements and notifications are fake or doctored.
The account also regularly posts images of supposed happy clients, including this couple from a July 2023 post.
“Congratulations to everyone who is benefits (sic) from our platform,” the caption reads. “I’m still looking for new investors to benefit as well.”
However, the pair pictured are not clients. They are a former DJ duo from US country music radio station 100.7FM.
The image in question is from a giveaway feature which was a regular on their show called “Banana & Stephanie’s Cash Stash”.
There is no suggestion the pair are linked to the account.
The Verdict
The claim a cryptocurrency trader has posted images of her happy clients and their bank statements is false.
The bank statements and notifications are fakes or doctored. Images of claimed customers are unrelated to crypto trading.
The self-described trader has also used an image of an Austrian politician for her profile picture.
False – The claim is inaccurate.
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