What is a mule account?¶

A mule account is a bank, wallet or payment account used to receive and move funds for another person or fraudulent scheme. Its transaction pattern does not by itself prove the named holder knowingly supplied it.

Accounts enter the chain in different ways¶

An account can be opened for offending, recruited later, sold, rented, shared or compromised. Incoming payments followed by transfers, cash withdrawal or asset purchase are indicators, but legitimate income can sit alongside criminal proceeds.

Changes in endpoints, contacts, passwords or beneficiaries may help explain when control shifted.

Establish use, controller and knowledge¶

Map every source, destination, amount, status and retained balance rather than grouping all activity as one fraud. Compare with normal use and obtain opening, authorised-user, login, endpoint, beneficiary and communication records.

If access was compromised, the account holder may also be a victim. Report the account's role as a movement point separately from evidence that a person controlled it and understood the criminal purpose.