The FBI has issued a warning about an increase in money mule schemes for the second time this year. Scammers are preying upon workers who have lost their jobs due to the ongoing pandemic, and recruiting them as unwitting money mules. A money mule is someone who, unknowingly or knowingly, supports criminal operations by transferring illegally acquired funds on behalf of criminals. The FBI has warned that there are even “work from home” jobs posted on legitimate job search sites that are money mule schemes! The FBI Baltimore Field Office has provided these as common signs that you might be a money mule: promised easy money that takes no effort by your “employer”, you’re asked to open a new bank account in your name or the company’s name, you’re asked to transfer funds from the account via wire transfer, ACH, mail, or money services, you’re allowed to keep a portion of the funds transferred, you’re asked to keep your job secret, and you’re asked to do transactions that someone could easily do themselves. For more information, feel free to check out the link below.
