Picture this: you get a notification from Zelle someone just sent you money! For a brief moment you’re stoked. If you knew how to do a front flip, you’d do one off the couch. “$700 of free money?! No way!” But then you start to think about it. You don’t know this person, you didn’t sell them anything, and you didn’t request funds of any kind. It’s not your lucky day, it’s–unfortunately–a scam.
Someone is trying to get you to be their money mule.
What is a money mule?
A money mule is someone who receives money and moves it to someone else, either intentionally or unintentionally. The money usually originates from a victim of fraud and the scammer routes the stolen money through a middle person (the money mule) to help cover their tracks.
How to prevent becoming a money mule
To avoid becoming an accidental money mule, follow these tips:
- Don’t agree to receive or send money for people you don’t know or haven’t met in person.
- Don’t take a job that promises easy money, especially if it requires you to send or receive money.
- Never open a bank account or cryptocurrency account at someone else’s request.
- Don’t send money to an online love interest, even if they send you money first.
- Never pay money to collect a prize or send someone money out of your “winnings”.
What to do if you think you may be involved in a money mule scam
If you think you’ve been involved in a money mule scam, here’s what you can do:
- Stop communicating with anyone who has asked you to move money.
- Alert your financial institution and consider changing accounts.
- Contact your local police or sheriff’s department to report the scam.
For more information, please visit the Money Mule Initiative webpage.