How they recruit ‘mules’ on social media
FRAUDSTERS funnel dirty money through mules’ bank accounts to make their profits more difficult to trace.
Youngsters with no history of criminal activity are targeted in a bid to avoid banks’ suspicions. Wealthier victims are favoured because criminals believe large amounts passing in and out of their accounts are less likely to be flagged up. Our reporter, posing as a 16-year-old, was able to contact ‘mule recruiters’ on Instagram after a search for certain code words produced an endless list of accounts offering easy money.
He was promised £15,000 by one contact, who told him to drop his bank card off at an address in south-east London. Another offered £3,000 within 24 hours providing the reporter send a clear picture of both sides of his bank card. He was also told to provide the account’s exact balance ‘in order to bypass security presets’.
Mules are in fact likely to receive far less money than first promised – with rewards often as low as just £60.