Money mule awareness: Watch out for these types of messages

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is warning Canadians about money mule recruitment schemes and how to recognize suspicious job offers or requests that could make you an unwitting accomplice in money laundering. A money mule is a person who transfers or moves illegally acquired money on behalf of someone else. Criminals recruit money mules to help launder money from fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other serious crimes. Many money mules are unaware they're involved in illegal activity, having been recruited through what appeared to be legitimate job offers or online relationships. Common recruitment tactics include 'work from home' job postings offering easy money for minimal work, romantic interests met online who ask for help transferring money, messages offering commissions for receiving and forwarding payments, requests to use your bank account to receive transfers, and offers to be a 'payment processor' or 'money transfer agent.' Warning signs of money mule recruitment include job offers requiring you to use your personal bank account for business, requests to receive money and send it elsewhere (keeping a percentage), vague job descriptions with promises of high pay for little work, employers who communicate only through messaging apps or encrypted platforms, and being asked to open new bank accounts or register businesses in your name. Being a money mule is illegal, even if you didn't know the money was from crime. Consequences include criminal charges and potential jail time, permanent criminal record affecting future employment, frozen bank accounts and financial difficulties, being held liable for the full amount of stolen funds, and difficulty opening bank accounts or getting loans in the future. The CAFC urges Canadians, particularly students and young adults who are frequently targeted, to be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true job offers, never allow others to use your bank account, research companies thoroughly before accepting positions, refuse requests to receive and forward money, and report suspicious job offers or recruitment attempts. If you realize you've been used as a money mule, stop all activity immediately, contact your bank, report to local police, and contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.