How to spot a money mule recruitment ad
If a job ad pays you to receive and forward funds, you are being recruited as a money mule. The job is laundering.
What it is
A money mule is a person who receives stolen funds and forwards them on, usually keeping a small percentage as 'payment'. The scammer recruits mules through fake job ads, romance-scam progression, or social media recruitment. The money the mule moves is from victims of other scams.
The recruitment shapes
(1) Easy remote work: 'transfer payments for our overseas clients, earn 5 percent'. (2) Fake employment: 'congratulations on getting the job, here is your first task'. (3) Romance: 'help me receive money from my contract abroad, I will send you a share'. (4) Crypto: 'I will pay you 5 percent to receive USDT in your account'.
Why this is not just 'a side hustle'
Receiving and forwarding stolen funds is money laundering. In Australia, this is a federal offence under the AML/CTF Act with penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment plus restitution to the original victims. Banks track mule accounts aggressively; the mule's account gets frozen, their credit gets ruined, and they often get charged.
What to do
Do not respond. Do not 'just try one'. If you have already received funds, do not move them; contact your bank immediately. Report the recruitment ad to AVA at /report and to ScamWatch.
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📚 Read the full lesson at AVA Academy
This page is a quick spotter card. The full plain-English lesson lives in the AVA Academy. Read the Money Mule lesson → or browse all 9 lessons.