Unfortunately, every one of us will have heard about financial scams. Many have also personally encountered calls from “bankers”, cryptocurrency traders or fake policemen, not to mention the fake social media activities of Raymond Paul, Renard Cowper and even the President. This requires being very careful, as well as warning those family members who are less aware of today’s threats.
The data of the Financial Industry Association show that in 2022, in total, more than 12 million euros were defrauded from Latvian citizens using various methods. Fraudsters “extort” money from citizens in various ways – both by calling on the phone and pretending to be employees of banks or security institutions, and by imitating the links of postal carriers and sending text messages and e-mails, as well as on fake investment platforms, inviting them to make huge profits. In the fight against fraud, not only law enforcement officers are improving, but also fraudsters, who are very creative and constantly looking for new ways to access other people’s money.
Less known is the concept of a “money mule”, or a person with the help of which illegally obtained money is transferred further to the accounts of criminals or in cash in their pockets. “Money mule” operates within a criminal group. He receives money from a third party, which is electronically transferred or handed over in cash to another person, receiving compensation (commission fee) for this action. Fraudsters use a “money mule” to hide other crimes, such as online scams or other forms of embezzlement.
Practice shows that the “money mule” is most often young people, but immigrants, the unemployed and other people in financial difficulties are also involved in the schemes. Criminals recruit “money mules” using various methods – both in person, through advertisements, e-mails, social networks, and also using group messaging apps (for example, “Telegram”, “WhatsApp”). Enticing offers of easy profit are made, often without really explaining to the person involved what is expected of them. It is also common to recruit “money mules” among friends, where someone who has already been recruited tries to involve other friends and acquaintances in this matter, promising easy profits or telling fictional situations with problems in which it is necessary to settle, transfer money or withdraw it in cash from an ATM. Usually, we are talking about amounts from 3,000 to 10,000 euros, which must be urgently received in the account and promptly transferred for a reward of 50 to 350 euros.
Sometimes it seems: what is special there? I will withdraw foreign money from the account with my card or transfer it further. The State Police warns that criminal liability threatens the following actions:
– if a person agrees to an offer to lend his bank card to someone for one or more days, criminal liability is provided for this according to the features of the criminal offense provided for in the first part of Article 1931 of the Criminal Law (distribution of such data that makes it possible to use a means of payment illegally);
– if a person provides false information to the bank, criminal liability is provided for this according to the features of the criminal offense provided for in the first part of Article 1951 of the Criminal Law (failure to provide information or knowingly providing false information about incoming funds in the account);
– if a person agrees to an offer to receive fraudulent funds in his bank account and transfer them to another bank account for a reward or withdraw them in cash from an ATM and return them with or without a reward, criminal liability is provided for this according to the criminal offense provided for in the second part of Article 195 of the Criminal Law ( legalization of criminally obtained financial assets in a group of persons after prior agreement) signs;
– if a person agrees to an offer to look for and involve other “money mules”, withdraw money with foreign bank cards in ATMs, transfer cash to other persons, criminal liability is provided for this according to the criminal offense provided for in the third part of Article 195 of the Criminal Law (legalization of criminally obtained financial assets in an organized in the group) for signs.
If someone becomes a “money mule”, he faces more than just criminal liability. If you are a “money mule”, you may not be able to receive financial services – for example, the bank may close your account or refuse cooperation in the provision of other financial services. The career opportunities of a “money mule” can also be significantly affected, as an employer may not want to work with a person who has committed a crime before.
Is easy and quick profit really worth ruining the rest of your life? Be prudent and don’t be a “money mule”!
2023-12-27 13:18:46
#Bank #Latvia #expert #money #mule
