Australians are being tricked into laundering criminal cash
Banks and the Australian Federal Police have issued a fresh warning: scammers are recruiting everyday Australians as money mules – people who let stolen money pass through their personal bank accounts. Many never realise they have been drawn into a crime until it is too late.
The numbers are sobering. Last year NAB shut down 9,364 customer profiles over mule concerns, and ANZ flagged around 4,000 high-risk accounts for investigation between September 2025 and March 2026. About a third of those ANZ customers were international students or unemployed – exactly the people a casual or part-time job offer is most likely to tempt.
The tactics are varied. Some victims are lured by fake online jobs that ask them to receive and forward funds, or to invest their own money to keep earning. Others are approached on social media marketplaces and offered hundreds of dollars to rent or sell their bank account. The AFP says criminals will happily pay a quick $500 to take over an account and copy someone’s identity documents.
Why does this matter to your business? Your staff – especially students and casual hires – are prime targets, and the consequences are severe. Acting as a mule, even unknowingly, can bring money-laundering charges carrying jail terms from 12 months to life.
Three practical steps to protect your team
- Never let anyone use a business or personal account to move money for them. Easy cash for using your account is always a scam.
- Vet job offers properly. A real ABN proves nothing – scammers quote genuine ones. Be wary of any role that involves receiving and forwarding payments, or paying to start.
- Pause on unexpected funds. If money you did not expect lands in an account, stop and check with your bank before touching it – banks now block and report suspicious transfers.
Worried this affects your business? Get a free 15-minute IT check – call Trends IT on 0485 011 911 or visit /contact/.