Up to 30 percent of romance fraud victims in 2018 are estimated to have been used as money mules
Scammers are using dating sites and apps not only to scout for lovesick men and women before bilking them out of money, but also to recruit ‘money mules’ for laundering funds obtained in illicit activities.
According to a new warning by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the latter flavor of confidence/romance scams commonly involves one of a number of meticulously crafted stories that may ultimately result in the victims unwittingly aiding and abetting a crime.
Oftentimes, the con artists convince their marks to open bank accounts under the guise of sending or receiving funds. “These accounts are used to facilitate criminal activities for a short period of time. If the account is flagged by the financial institution, it may be closed and the actor will either direct the victim to open a new account or begin grooming a new victim,” said the FBI.
In some cases, the fraudster will claim to be a European citizen or an American living abroad and will tell the victim about a “lucrative business opportunity”. The “venture” is said to have already attracted a great deal of interest from investors who are willing to fund it, but need a US bank account into which they can send the money.
The story may be spun further, and the scammer will ultimately convince the victim to open the account in their name or register a limited liability company and allow money transfers to flow into the account. In reality, however, the fraudsters transfer stolen money into the account and instruct their unsuspecting crime accomplices ..
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