Is a stranger asking me to use my bank account to receive and pass on a business payment a scam?
Yes. This is money-mule recruitment, which is illegal even if you did not know the underlying source of the funds was criminal.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Explanation
Money mule recruitment happens when someone asks you to receive money into your bank account and then forward it, keeping a percentage as a fee. The person recruiting you may pose as an employer, a romantic partner, a person needing help, or someone offering a simple 'agent' role for a foreign business. The money passing through your account is almost always the proceeds of fraud, drug trafficking, or other crime. Even if you receive it in good faith, using your account this way makes you a money mule, which is a criminal offence in most countries and can result in prosecution, a permanent ban from banking, and a criminal record. Banks detect unusual patterns and will freeze accounts suspected of mule activity.
Common red flags
- Stranger or new online contact asks you to receive money into your account
- You are asked to forward money minus a commission for yourself
- The person explains the need vaguely as 'helping a business' or 'currency exchange'
- Large sums appear in your account unexpectedly
- You are asked to buy cryptocurrency with the funds and send it to an address
What to do now
- Refuse any request to use your account to pass money for others
- Do not accept any payment into your account unless you know exactly its source
- If you have already received suspicious funds, contact your bank immediately
- Report the recruitment attempt to your national fraud reporting service
Frequently asked questions
What if I have already forwarded money on someone's behalf?
Contact your bank and the police immediately and explain the full situation. Cooperating with authorities is the best way to demonstrate you were misled and not a knowing participant.