money mule
Laundering transfer intermediary
A money mule is someone who transfers illegally obtained funds on behalf of criminals, often unknowingly.
Scammers recruit money mules through fake job offers or romance schemes, using their bank accounts to launder proceeds from fraud: She didn't realize she'd become a money mule until investigators showed up.
Acting as a money mule is a crime, even if the person was deceived into participating.
Intentional criminal trickery
- cybercrimeIllegal digital conduct
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
- illegalForbidden by statute
felony · accomplice · identity theft · wire fraud · bank fraud · conspiracy · racketeering · criminal liability
One harmed by another
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
deception · unwitting · recruitment · grooming · romance scam · job scam · targeting · duped
Agent linking two parties
- go-betweenAgent connecting separate parties
- proxyAuthorized substitute
- facilitatorNeutral process guide
- conduitTube conveying fluid or cables
agent · straw man · front · cutout · buffer · handler · recruiter · herder
Evasive transaction splitting
- layeringForming successive strata
- placementPutting somewhere specific
- integrationCombining into a whole
- structuringImposing systematic order
proceeds of crime · bank account · wire transfer · cryptocurrency · cash withdrawal · Western Union · MoneyGram · shell company
fraud
Intentional criminal trickery
- cybercrimeIllegal digital conduct
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
- scamDishonest money-making scheme
illegal · felony · accomplice · identity theft · wire fraud · bank fraud · conspiracy · racketeering · criminal liability · prosecution
victim
One harmed by another
- vulnerableOpen to attack
- manipulationUnderhanded control of others
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
trafficking · deception · unwitting · recruitment · grooming · romance scam · job scam · targeting · duped · naive
middleman
Agent linking two parties
- go-betweenAgent connecting separate parties
- proxyAuthorized substitute
- facilitatorNeutral process guide
conduit · agent · straw man · front · cutout · buffer · handler · recruiter · herder · drop
smurfing
Evasive transaction splitting
- layeringForming successive strata
- placementPutting somewhere specific
- integrationCombining into a whole
structuring · proceeds of crime · bank account · wire transfer · cryptocurrency · cash withdrawal · Western Union · MoneyGram · shell company · offshore
- crimerobbery, accomplice, alibi, burglary, conspiracy
- online scamsphishing, scam, email scam, advance fee scam, Nigerian prince scam
- romance scamsromance scam, romance scams, romance fraud, sweetheart scam, catfishing
- financial crimesbank fraud, wire fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, insurance fraud
- Hackershacker, black hat, cracker, script kiddie, hacktivist
- phone scamsscam call, robocall, robocalls, vishing, phishing call
money mulemastermind
Scheme's chief planner
kingpin · crime boss · ringleader · organizer · money launderer
money mulecompliance officer
Oversees organizational rule-following
fraud investigator · bank examiner · financial regulator · forensic accountant · bank teller
money, mule, moneys, monies, moneyed, mules, muled, muling, monetary