Understanding how money mule scams fit into everyday life, means thinking about how the scam starts. There could be a surprise offer, an interesting advert, or a suggestion of easy money. Or there could be an offer of a cash payment for simply making a small transfer of money using a private bank account.
Yet, if a scary stranger asked you in the street to do any of this, you’d probably decline. That’s good, because the reality behind money mule scams is that the money is almost always from crime. Such scams usually involve the same kind of threatening strangers, they’re just hidden behind fake, calm, and exciting profiles and of course, tempting offers.
The advice is simple: don’t take a strangers money and transfer it to another person using your own bank account. Whilst it might sound tempting because of the rewards being promised, your actions put you at serious risk, even when it’s only a small amount of money and the reward is very tempting.
Anytime you are asked, or you see a tempting offer, just pause and think about what is happening and why. Always ignore the reward and think about how you could be putting yourself, your family, and your future at risk. Decide what’s right for you, what will keep you safe and what will protect your private information and banking details. It’s not just about the money you transfer, it’s about the details you share, the threats and the intimidation if you hesitate.
Adverts on social media, helping others, and requests by celebrities may all appear very tempting. But in the end, they’re all part of a criminal led scam that needs YOU to make it happen. So, the advice is simple; protect yourself and don’t get involved in helping their criminal activities. Activities that could cost you a lot more than the money they’ve promised to pay you.
The next time you are contacted by a stranger, without warning, without ever asking; listen to the voice inside your head. Is it saying something doesn’t feel right?
To help, always remember to Pause – Think – Decide every single time. You’re in control. So, always do all you can to stop the criminal from making you just another victim.
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