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The Anatomy of Money-Mule Scams

Posted by kdawson on from the if-it-sound-too-good-to-be-true dept.

Brian Krebs of the Washington Post's Security Fix blog has up an article on work-at-home money mule scams (backgrounder blog post here). These operations offer victims hundreds or thousands of dollars per week for moving money through their own accounts — a critical piece of the infrastructure for profiting from identity theft and phishing. The article links to the site of a UK fraud fighter named Bob Harrison, who lists hundreds of fradulent money-mule operations.

10 of 135 comments (clear)

  1. I have been trying by El+Lobo · · Score: 5, Interesting
    I have been trying for months to be selected by one of those scammers just for fun and to investigate the whole process. I answer every single strange letter from generous companies, rich princes, ex-gobernants of obscure countries, etc. I replay, playing a stupid character, and get so long as getting a few replies. Then, without a reason, they get absolutly silent.

    I don't know if they get caught or if they just smell that something is fishy, but I guess they are smart and they are searching for a given profile: not too smart, not too dumb, just right....

    --
    It's time to realise that Abble's products are the biggest abomination these days. Just say NO to the dumb iAbble way!!
    1. Re:I have been trying by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I replay, playing a stupid character, and get so long as getting a few replies.

      I think that's your problem. They aren't looking for stupid people. They are looking for greedy people. You need to be suspicious and pretend to let your greed get the better of you. For example, say you don't trust them and want a higher cut. Read about the people caught in scams. If you read carefully, you'll see they aren't normally stupid, but greedy.

    2. Re:I have been trying by Icarus1919 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Try this: www.spamyourenemy.com

  2. EBay is not a court of law by thehickcoder · · Score: 5, Interesting

    EBay investigated, concluding that Monroe's phantom employer had tied her PayPal account to a fraudulent auction. The auction site's verdict: She was responsible for repaying the full amount to the blameless auction winner. Monroe is now working two part-time jobs to pay the bills and to make the other victim whole.
    Since when does EBay get to decide who is responsible for fraud?
  3. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  4. Another "no news" article? by Opportunist · · Score: 2, Interesting

    2006 called. They want their news back.

    This sort of operation has been going on for at the very least 2 years now. It's hardly "news". But it's stunning that there are still people who fall for that. Let's see... easy money, little to no work involved, shoving money around...

    Hello? Does anyone here NOT smell a scam? I still can't decide whether those people are just insanely stupid or whether they know very well what they're doing and just claim to be stupid in case they get busted (and they usually do get busted), as a get-out-of-jail card. After all, stupidity appearantly keeps you safe from prosecution.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  5. Other End of the Money Transfer by Inexile2002 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've lived in Madrid for four years and have heard this story from several different people including an ex girlfriend.

    A tourist looking guy with an American accent will approach people on the street with a sob story about how was robbed or otherwise lost his trekking backpack and included in the loss was his passport and wallet. His mother is sending him a Western Union Money transfer, but he can't collect it without ID. He then asks if he can call the USA with your name and passport number, have the money wired to you (his mom is always "at the Western Union right now!"). You accept and collect the money transfer at zero cost to you - fees are paid on the other end, and then turn the cash over to this guy. I've heard the sum of 275 euros up to over 800. He even offers 50 euros to reluctant people.

    My ex-girlfriend fell for it, and then by coincidence bumped into the same guy two years later, so he's being doing this for a while. I didn't know her the first time she fell for it, but the second time she bumped into the guy, we both assumed it was something to do with drugs but now I'm guessing it probably had something to do with Money Mules.

    Interesting that they actually use intermediates on the other end at least some of the time.

    Also, The Money Mules would be a great name for an 90's cover band.

  6. Paypal and eBay complicit by EmagGeek · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What is really appalling to me is how Paypal and eBay are seemingly exempt from the rule of law.

    If someone breaks into my house, steals my stuff, and puts it in their house, I am not allowed to just go into the thief's house and steal it back. I am required to give them the due process of law, file criminal charges, provide evidence to the prosecution, and let the jury decide.

    If criminal A breaks into the house of victim B, stashes the stuff in victim C's house before moving it to their own house, victim C's landlord can't just decree that victim C has to pay back victim B for the loss.

    This is exactly what paypal is doing.

    1. Re:Paypal and eBay complicit by torkus · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Analogies...are painful and overused (and yes i'm using one below). I question the accuracy of the one used but the underlying point is dead on.

      If *I* break into someone's house, steal their jewlry and rape their cat I'm still afforded due process and the ability to plead my case before a judge. Paypal/ebay OTOH are the arbitrary investigators, judge, jury, and prison warden. You're then left chasing them down begging and pleading to overturn your sentence if you feel that it's wrong or unfair.

      To make it worse, the PP TOS specifically prohibits an actual trial/court case. You "agree" to binding arbitration in their local jurisdiction and non in-person (i.e. phone/fax/email/mail) arguments. If memory serves there's even a penalty clause if you file a lawsuit (and/or file one outside of their jurisdiction - such as in your own) and they have to show up. How is this even vaugely legal? I love our court system.

      Another example of big business >>> individual person. Pretty much no one is big enough to bring a useful lawsuit against PP/ebay to fix this mess. The exception is the lawyer looking to make his/her name and get a pay day. Still doesn't help the little guy.

      --
      You can get rich if you own a politician, but you have to be rich to buy one in the first place.
  7. Re:all for the easy buck by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The only get rich quick scheme that works is selling get rich quick schemes to idiots.
    Sounds funny, but that's what some people over here actually do. They post one of those "Work from home, set your own hours, make up to $4000 a month" ads. You contact them (usually on a cell phone nr.) and they'll ask you to send them $100 for a Starter Kit. This kit basically contains instructions on setting up your own "Work from home" scheme to scam others, by selling them your Starter Kits. In a strange recursive way, this scheme is not illegal here (NL) because the advice in the kit is sound and delivers exactly what was promised in the ad, namely a legal way to make money working from home.
    --
    If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...