Under-21s targeted as money mules: Criminals hire university students to transfer dirty money

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Surge in student ‘money mules’: Criminals using social media to hire under 21s for dirty money transfers

By Miles Dilworth For The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Criminals are using social media to hire university students as ‘money mules’

The number of youngsters being recruited to launder cash has more than tripled in the past three years, according to Barclays.

Criminals are using social media to hire university students as ‘money mules’ with promises of easy cash, the bank says.

Victims are asked to receive dirty money into their bank accounts and then send it on, thus making it hard to trace and link to crime. 

Doing so means they could go to jail for up to 14 years. Students are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of awareness and their desire to make a quick buck. 

One in 20 say they are more likely to consider ways of making easy money due to the pandemic, Barclays says.

The bank’s research shows that 30 per cent of all money mules are under the age of 21.

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