SendPay Business
Man at a desk in front of a computer

What is a money mule? How criminals move stolen money through ordinary accounts

By SendPay Business · · 2 min read

Ask about this page:Ask ChatGPTAsk ClaudeAsk Perplexity
A quick ID check
  1. Add your photo ID
  2. Add proof of address
  3. Checked and verified

A money mule is someone who lets their bank account be used to receive and pass on money that came from crime. Criminals use mules to hide where stolen money came from, and the mule can face serious legal consequences even if they did not know the full story.

How people get drawn in

  • They see an offer of easy money, often on social media or in a fake job advert.
  • They are asked to receive a payment into their account.
  • They are told to send most of it on, keeping a small cut.
  • The money turns out to be stolen, and their account is now part of the chain.
Four coworkers smiling around a laptop

Warning signs

Be wary of any job or offer that asks you to receive and forward money, use your account for someone else, or buy crypto or gift cards with money sent to you. Genuine employers never ask staff to move money through their own accounts.

Try it

Name your platform and watch it come to life

Type a name, tap a colour and pick what it does. The phone changes as you go.

Colour

What it does

Build mine

Design and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.

Why platforms watch for it

Banks and payment platforms use transaction monitoring to spot money coming in and going straight out, and may freeze accounts and report them. In the UK, money muling can lead to a closed account, difficulty opening new ones and criminal charges.

Smiling man in a suit in a modern office

Where SendPay fits

Every SendPay platform includes customer identity verification at sign-up, powered by licensed partners. Your own anti-money-laundering policies and monitoring remain your responsibility, and SendPay tells you in writing what applies before you launch.

Woman in a grey jacket

How it works

Your own money app
  1. Name it and pick your colours
  2. Choose what it does
  3. Launch when you are ready

Why sign up

Create your free SendPay account

It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.

  • A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
  • Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
  • A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
  • Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
Create a free business account Create a free websiteStart building your platform

SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.

Questions people ask

What is transaction monitoring?

How platforms spot suspicious payments.

Transaction monitoring →
What is APP fraud?

When people are tricked into sending money.

APP fraud →
Can I launch my own money app?

Yes, with identity checks built into sign-up.

See platforms →

Read next

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.