Don’t fall for internet scammers.
There’s an old saying that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So if you receive a message out of the blue offering you easy money for little or no effort, an unbelievably well-paid job you can do from home, or even the promise of romance, it’s worth thinking twice. Because you may be about to become a victim of mule fraud, where an unwitting victim launders the proceeds of crime.
Acting as a money mule is illegal and can lead to prosecution, even if you aren’t aware you’re committing an offence. It can also damage your credit and financial standing, and you risk having your own personally identifiable information stolen and used by the criminals you are “working” for. You could even be held personally liable for repaying money lost by victims.
To avoid falling victim to this sort of crime, always treat unsolicited offers of money, jobs or romance with suspicion: take the time to look people up online, and don’t follow any instructions to open a new bank account. Never receive money on behalf of anyone or divulge your bank account details to someone you’ve only “met” online.