A self-described financial trader has posted images of bank statements and happy snaps of clients celebrating massive profits.
However, the statements are fakes and the supposed clients have nothing to do with financial trading.
Robert Larson (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.
His account, Cap Rock Forex trading with Robert Larson, particularly targets clients in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Hawaii, the Philippines and Australia with a promise of huge returns on their investment.
A post from December 31, 2023 features an image of a Wells Fargo bank statement with more than $1.5 million in the account. Attached is an image of a man and a woman holding flags.
The caption reads: “Big congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Tapusoa from Honolulu, Hawaii! We’re thrilled to announce their incredible benefit of $1,570,320.00.”
But a reverse image search reveals the couple are Melissa and Kawika Dacoscos. Rather than celebrating their bank account in 2023, the image shows the couple at a 2019 protest in Hawaii.
The bank account image also features several inconsistencies, including various fonts being used for the dollar symbol.
A Wells Fargo representative confirmed to AAP FactCheck the online bank statement was not genuine.
“We can confirm the image has been altered, and also does not reflect the mobile experience for customers,” they said.
Another client testimonial congratulates a mother and daughter for earning more than $2 million through trading with Larson.
But the images do not show clients. The image of the supposed mother is an Australia Day stock image taken in 2016 and the picture of the daughter is part of a series of royalty-free stock images.
Larson has also posted various images of bank transfers without attribution to any financial institution, examples here, here, here and here.
They’re all sent from “Lisa Roksana”, who is not mentioned at any point on Larson’s account.
Larson has also posted images of a claimed client he calls Rethabile Rabe supposedly picking up a new car with the money she has made from investing.
However, the post features at least two different women and two different cars, as seen here and here.
One of the women also appears as the client of another supposed trader named Nicole Ambrose, whose account features the same unattributed bank transfers from Lisa Roskana.
The Verdict
The claim a cryptocurrency trader has posted images of his happy clients and their bank statements is false.
The bank statements are fakes and the customer photos are either stock photos or images of people unrelated to crypto trading.
False — The claim is inaccurate.
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