Don't become a money mule: what you need to know
What is money muling?
Money muling happens when someone moves criminal money for others, sometimes for payment. This involves:
- letting criminals use your bank account
- buying/selling cryptocurrencies for them
- withdrawing cash to hand over
This helps criminals using money mule networks hide where their illegal money came from.
Money mule networks are groups of people or accounts used by criminals to launder funds. Criminals controlling these networks will organise or direct transactions between their victims and willing money mules maintaining their own anonymity.
Those controlling the networks are commonly referred to as money mule ‘herders’, ‘controllers’, or ‘recruiters’.
Why it matters
Money mules help criminals move money from fraud and other crimes. The UK's Economic Crime Plan (2023-2026) and the Fraud Strategy 2023 identify this as a serious problem that needs stopping.
How people get recruited
Students studying in the UK are often targeted with quick money-making schemes. Criminals target people through:
- social media job offers
- direct approaches
- gaming chats
- promises of "easy money"
Consequences of becoming a money mule
Money muling is a crime. If you let someone else use your bank account to transfer money, you could be funding serious organised crime. You may think it is easy money, but you could end up with a criminal record and more:
- up to 14 years in prison
- your bank accounts closed
- difficulty getting loans, phone contracts, credit cards or mortgages
- problems finding jobs
- possible removal from university or professional bodies
Pam ddylech chi helpu i stopio’r rhai sy’n recriwtio 'mulod arian’?
Twyll yw’r math mwyaf tebygol o drosedd i effeithio ar bob un ohonom, ar ôl dod yn drosedd sy’n digwydd yn amlach na lladrad.
Yn gynyddol, mae pobl ifanc yn dod yn brif ddioddefwyr twyll. Gall tactegau twyllwyr fod yn soffistigedig iawn ac mae hyd yn oed y rhai sy’n graff yn ariannol yn gallu cael eu twyllo’n hawdd.
Nid dim ond colli eu harian y mae dioddefwyr. Gallant golli cynilion eu teulu, eu busnesau, eu hymddiriedaeth mewn pobl eraill, a gall hyn i gyd effeithio ar eu hiechyd meddwl.
Un o’r ffactorau pwysicaf sy’n galluogi twyll yw mulod arian. Ystyr yr ymadrodd yw pan fyddwch chi'n gadael i rywun arall ddefnyddio eich cyfrif banc i anfon arian troseddol.
Bydd twyllwyr a throseddwyr eraill yn defnyddio llawer o gyfrifon mulod i’w gwneud yn anoddach i fanciau a’r heddlu eu holrhain.
Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r mulod arian sy’n galluogi’r troseddau hyn yn ifanc. Mae tua 6 o bob 10 ‘mul’ o dan 30 oed. Mae rhai’n cael eu recriwtio ar-lein ac eraill wyneb yn wyneb.
Drwy ddefnyddio mulod arian, mae troseddwyr yn ceisio sicrhau bod y canlyniadau’n taro’r mulod arian, yn hytrach na nhw. Ecsbloetio ariannol yw hyn – y ‘mul’ yn ogystal â’r dioddefwr gwreiddiol.
Ond mae mulod arian fel arfer yn cael eu recriwtio am eu bod nhw'n cael cyfran o’r arian sydd wedi ei ddwyn. Mae hyn yn golygu eu bod nhw’n ymwneud â gwyngalchu arian. Mae gwyngalchu’n drosedd difrifol, gydag uchafswm dedfryd o 14 mlynedd yn y carchar ar gyfer y troseddwyr gwaethaf.
钱骡是指让别人用自己的银行账户转账，并通常为自己留一点钱的人。如果你被抓了，你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
不要为了快钱拿你的留学经历来冒险。钱骡是指让别人用自己的银行账户转账，并通常为自己留一点钱的人。如果你被抓了，你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
谨慎对待来路不明的轻松赚钱的机会。钱骡是指让别人用自己的银行账户转账，并通常为自己留一点钱的人。如果你被抓了，你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
犯罪分子可能会试图利用在英国学习的学生，把向学生们提供快速赚钱的方法，作为钱骡计划的一部分。对任何要求使用你的银行账户转账的人都要谨慎。你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
转移犯罪资金是犯罪。你可能认为这是轻松赚钱的方法，但你可能会因此留下刑事犯罪记录。
在国外留学期间，要谨慎对待来路不明的轻松赚钱的机会。如果你让别人用你的银行账户转账，这些钱可能被用来资助严重的有组织犯罪。如果你这样做被抓住，你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
如果你让某人使用你的银行账户转账，你可能是在清洗犯罪资金。这笔钱可用来资助严重的有组织犯罪。如果你这样做被抓住，你可能会留下刑事犯罪记录。
钱骡招募者可能会尝试与学生交朋友。你可能认为你在帮朋友的忙，但其实你可能在转移犯罪资金。如果你被抓了，你可能会有刑事犯罪记录。
Protect yourself and others
Be suspicious of anyone asking to use your account or offering easy money. Remember: transferring criminal money is a crime that can ruin your future.
Beth allwch chi ei wneud i amddiffyn eich ffrindiau a’ch teulu rhag recriwtwyr troseddol?
What should you do?
1. Ask a friend or an adult you trust first
If someone wants to “borrow” your bank account or transfer money, saying its easy money, ask someone you trust to have your best interests at heart before you get involved.
This could be a friend or it could be an adult like a teacher or a trusted member of a community you’re in.
2. Report mule recruiters
If you think you know someone is recruiting mules, you can protect victims by reporting them. Call local police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
If you prefer not to give your details to the police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously online or by calling 0800 555 111.
If it’s online content, click the button to report it to the social media companies to get it taken down. Social media companies also want to get bad actors off of their platforms.
3. Report it if you’re a victim of fraud
Report all incidents of fraud to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre, via their website or contact 0300 123 2040. If you are in Scotland, please report to Police Scotland directly by calling 101.
In an emergency call 999.
4. If you think someone is already involved, go to the NCA website for advice
If you want to help someone you think is already involved in this type of crime, go to the NCA website.
We want to help protect young people from getting drawn into this type of criminal activity and get out of it safely.
5. Boost your online security
Make it harder for criminals to steal your identity and open bank accounts in your name by doing a few simple things recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre.
Beth ddylech chi ei wneud?
1. Gofyn i ffrind neu oedolyn rydych chi’n ymddiried ynddo yn gyntaf
Os oes rhywun eisiau “benthyg” eich cyfrif banc neu drosglwyddo arian, gan ddweud ei fod yn arian hawdd, gofynnwch i rywun rydych chi’n ymddiried ynddo i feddwl am yr hyn sydd orau i chi cyn i chi gymryd rhan.
Gallai fod yn ffrind neu gallai fod yn oedolyn fel athro neu aelod dibynadwy o gymuned rydych chi'n rhan ohoni.
2. Rhoi gwybod am recriwtwyr mulod arian
Os ydych chi’n meddwl eich bod chi’n gwybod bod rhywun yn recriwtio mulod arian, gallwch ddiogelu dioddefwyr drwy roi gwybod amdanynt. Ffoniwch yr heddlu lleol ar 101 neu 999 mewn argyfwng.
Os yw’n well gennych chi beidio â rhoi eich manylion i’r heddlu, gallwch gysylltu â’r elusen annibynnol Crimestoppers yn gwbl ddienw ar-lein neu drwy ffonio 0800 555 111.
Os yw’n gynnwys ar-lein, cliciwch ar y botwm i roi gwybod i’r cwmnïau cyfryngau cymdeithasol er mwyn tynnu’r cynnwys oddi yno. Mae cwmnïau cyfryngau cymdeithasol hefyd eisiau cael gwared ar bobl ddrwg oddi ar eu platfformau.
3. Rhoi gwybod os ydych chi wedi dioddef twyll
Rhowch wybod am bob achos o dwyll i Action Fraud, canolfan genedlaethol y Deyrnas Unedig ar gyfer rhoi gwybod am dwyll a seiberdroseddau, drwy eu gwefan neu drwy ffonio 0300 123 2040. Os ydych chi yn yr Alban, rhowch wybod i Heddlu’r Alban yn uniongyrchol drwy ffonio 101.
Mewn argyfwng, ffoniwch 999.
4. Os ydych chi’n meddwl bod rhywun eisoes yn ymwneud â’r maes, ewch i wefan yr NCA i gael cyngor
Os ydych chi eisiau helpu rhywun sydd eisoes yn rhan o’r math hwn o drosedd yn eich barn chi, ewch i wefan yr NCA.
Rydyn ni eisiau helpu i amddiffyn pobl ifanc rhag cael eu tynnu i mewn i’r math hwn o weithgarwch troseddol a mynd allan ohono’n ddiogel.
5. Rhoi hwb i’ch diogelwch ar-lein
Gwnewch hi’n anoddach i droseddwyr ddwyn eich manylion personol ac agor cyfrifon banc yn eich enw chi drwy wneud ambell beth syml a argymhellir gan y National Cyber Security Centre