Money Mule

A money mule is a person who transfers stolen money or merchandise from one country to another, either in person, through a courier service, or electronically. The term is commonly used to describe on-line scams that prey on victims who are unaware that the money or merchandise they are transferring is stolen. In these scams, the stolen money or merchandise is transferred from the victim's country to the scam operator's country.

Online money mule scams typically exist as a result of other types of online fraud, such as phishing scams, malware scams or scams that operate around auction sites like eBay. After money or merchandise has been stolen using any of those methods, a scammer will employ a mule to relay the money or goods to the scammer. This process obscures the scammer's true identity and location from the initial victim. Money mules may be subject to criminal prosecution for their actions.

Money mules are commonly recruited with job advertisements for "payment processing agents," "money transfer agents," "local processors," and other similar titles. Some money mules are recruited by a scammer posing as an attractive member of the opposite sex. Candidates are asked to accept payments and to remit most of the funds to a third party — a job which can be done from one's own home. Legitimate companies use escrow services for this kind of work. Scammers trading in stolen goods use similar tactics to recruit mules who receive packages and then forward them to mail drops in the scammer's home country.