Money mules - moving money for criminals
Criminals need ways to disguise the money they make through crime to allow them to use it. This process is known as money laundering, and the people moving it for the criminals are known as money mules.
The criminals do this by convincing people to receive money and send it onto another account. Money laundered this way is used for:
- fraud and scams
- drug smuggling, human trafficking and sexual exploitation
- terrorism.
Acting as a money mule is a criminal offence and can lead to a poor credit rating, your bank account being closed and up to 14 years in prison.
On this page:
Step 1: Criminal contacts you
The criminal will contact you through email, messaging apps or social media.
They’ll use different tactics to trick you such as:
- pretending to be an employer offering a job with high pay and no experience necessary
- building your trust by becoming an online friend or love interest
- saying someone else needs your help moving money as they cannot use their own account
- saying someone has accidentally sent you money such as overpaid wages or returns on an investment
- wanting to buy a valuable item from you but insisting on paying by bank transfer
- asking you directly and offering you money in return.
Step 2: Criminal asks you to open a bank account or to use your own
The criminal will trick you into opening or using your own bank account to hold their money.
This is why it’s called being a money mule because they help move the money to a safer place. The criminals will often have the money moved several times to help disguise where it came from to begin with.
The criminals might say they’re going to pay you to do this, but the payment will never show up.
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Research job advertisements and companies
Research all job offers and only use trusted recruitment sites. Be wary of job offers where everything is done online, especially if you never speak to anyone on the phone or in person.
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Contact us if you receive money you were not expecting
Contact us immediately if you receive large sums of money you were not expecting.
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Never open a bank account in your name for anyone else
Do not agree to open an account in your name for someone you do not know.
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Only give your bank details to people you trust
Never share your bank details with people you do not know and trust and do not agree to receive money into your account and then move it on.
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