What is a Money Mule?

In the context of online fraud, a money mule is someone who agrees to receive funds into their bank account and then send them onto somewhere else, often for an agreed commission.

Acting as a money mule is illegal and is a form of money laundering. Criminals target people through social media, offering them a way to make money quickly by agreeing to move money in such a way.

Even though the person does not know the source of the money or where it is going, they are then party to the transaction - which could turn out to be funding any of a range of illegal activities.

In the legal industry the bank accounts of money mules have been used to redirect property deposits as part of successful Friday Afternoon Fraud scams.