Red flags: how to avoid falling victim to a ‘money mule’ scam

Santander says the scam often happens in person, or through social media posts offering #internetmoney and similar, or ads that offer remote jobs. Photograph: EnVogue_Photo/Alamy

A friend tells you they are having problems with their bank account and asks whether they can use yours to receive money they will withdraw or move on. Someone approaches you at a party and tells you they made £200 in a couple of weeks, and all they had to do was take some money and pass it on. Or you see an advert that offers a job you can do remotely.

Say yes to any of these and you are in danger of becoming a “money mule” – the name banks and police use for an individual who transfers illegally obtained money on behalf of criminals, often through their bank account. In most cases the person paying into your account is an unsuspecting victim of a scam, while the withdrawal or onward payment is made to a criminal.