FRAUD SCENARIO LIBRARY

Money Mules

Money mules are individuals who transfer or move illegally obtained funds on behalf of criminals - often unknowingly - through their own bank accounts.

How Does It Work?

Criminals recruit mules via job ads, romance scams, or social media.

Criminals recruit mules via job ads, romance scams, or social media.

Criminals recruit mules via job ads, romance scams, or social media.

Mules receive stolen funds into their accounts and are told to transfer them elsewhere (e.g., via wire, crypto, or cash-out).

This activity helps obscure the origin of illicit funds and avoid detection.

This activity helps obscure the origin of illicit funds and avoid detection.

Money Mule Detection

Breaking the Flow Before It Launders Out

A new customer account begins receiving frequent deposits from unrelated individuals, quickly followed by crypto withdrawals. Unit21 flags the behavior as indicative of mule activity and halts the operation.

1

Behavioral Profiling Flags Rapid Fund Movement

Unit21 detects a pattern of multiple inbound transfers followed by immediate outbound crypto activity. This rapid in-and-out movement raises red flags for mule behavior.

2

Device and IP Linkage Exposes Network

Fingerprint and Unit21 connect the account to others using the same IP, device, or browser fingerprint - indicating multiple mule accounts operated by the same controller.

3

Fund Flow Rules Trigger Alert

Custom rules identify deposits from unrelated third parties and mismatched geographies. The account has no legitimate business context for these flows, prompting further review.

4

Graph Analysis Reveals Coordinated Ring

Unit21’s network tools map the flow between multiple accounts across institutions, uncovering a broader laundering network. Analysts tag the accounts and prevent additional payouts.

5

Risk Escalation & SAR Filing via AI Agent

The involved accounts are reclassified as high-risk. Unit21’s AI Agent drafts a SAR citing red flags like multi-account control, unusual fund flows, and crypto cash-out. The report is filed directly through the platform.

Prevention Tips

  • Monitor for rapid in/out transfers and suspicious fund flows.
  • Use behavioral profiling and risk scoring to flag mule patterns.
  • Analyze device and IP data for linked account control.
  • Educate users on job scams and mule recruitment tactics.
  • Enforce strong KYC and identity verification at onboarding.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Money Mules

What are money mules, and how do they operate?
Why are money mules used in financial crime?
Who becomes a money mule?
What technical and vendor gaps enable mule activity?
How do mule networks operate?
Why is stopping mule activity so critical?
What’s the compliance risk of failing to detect money mules?

Getting Started is Easy

See first-hand how Unit21can help bolster your risk & compliance operations
Get a Demo