Scammers recruit young adults left jobless by pandemic as money mules

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Scammers recruit young adults left jobless by the pandemic as ‘money mules’

By Miles Dilworth For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Young adults left jobless and penniless by the pandemic are helping launder profits from crimes like drug dealing

Young adults left jobless and penniless by the pandemic are being recruited by criminals as ‘money mules’.

They are helping launder profits from crimes such as drug dealing, says banking body UK Finance and fraud prevention experts, Cifas.

Money mules convince people to hand over their bank details, then ask them to transfer funds they are sent to another account and keep some of the cash for themselves. 

There were more than 17,000 cases involving 21 to 30 year olds in 2020 — a 5 per cent increase on 2019.

UK Finance and Cifas warn that mules can end up with a criminal record, blighting chances of getting legitimate work.

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