23 March 2023 
Andrea Marshall, Tax Specialist
THis HMRC email was sent on 20 March and includes the following:
"What is a money mule?
Organised Crime Groups are co-opting thousands of young people into their money-laundering networks each month as they seek to hide behind layers of legitimate bank accounts through which to ‘clean’ their illegal funds. These are known as ‘money mules’.
Students are particularly at risk as they are young, often away from home for the first time or in a new country with social, economic and peer pressures that can affect their judgement. They may also have financial worries which makes them vulnerable, as criminals usually recruit money mules by offering a cut of the illicit funds. As a result, students unwittingly become involved in money laundering which is a serious criminal offence with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
Recent surveys have shown that over half of students Don’t know what a money mule was and over 40% think it is ok to let someone else use their bank account. We need to address this lack of awareness and ensure that students realise the dangers and potential consequences."
It included this flyer to be provided to students.
Please bring this to the attention of your student services teams.
