Law enforcement authorities in 26 countries have once again joined forces in the fight against money laundering through money mules, in a worldwide operation carried out between June and November 2023.
In this ninth edition of the European Money Mule Action (EMMA), more than 2,800 banks and financial institutions have worked together to combat fraudulent transactions and have helped prevent estimated losses of €32 million.
As a result of this blow to organised crime, 10,759 individuals acting as money mules and 474 recruiters have been identified, which has so far led to 1,013 arrests worldwide and 4,659 investigations launched.
This initiative by Europol, Eurojust and Interpol, as well as the European banking sector—with the support of the European Banking Federation and AEB—aims to tackle money mule networks that profit from different types of crime, such as cyber fraud against financial institutions and their customers.
Investigators have reported several recent developments in the international money laundering crime landscape, such as an increase in identity theft offences, the fraudulent use of artificial intelligence to create fake identities, and the recruitment of young people who are provided with online means of payment, such as gift cards.
The #NoSeasMula campaign launches today across Europe to raise awareness of this type of fraud and the serious legal consequences it can entail, such as prison sentences or a criminal record, even if money mules act without realising they are committing a crime.
Here you will find useful information on the modus operandi of these money mule gangs and tips to avoid being drawn into their crimes. You can also follow our recommendations on social media using the hashtags #DontbeaMule and #NoSeasMula.
Find out here more information about money mules
