Another new form of scam? It definitely doesn't stop. A new kind of scam, called “bank mule” fraud, seems to be taking off in France. This is not a phishing campaign but a scam involving real money movements, reports BFMTV.
This scam aims to make it easy for scammers to launder money. The trick is simple: they first make a transfer to a person's bank account, then contact them claiming an error. The target is asked to transfer the amount back to the scammer's account, which at first glance seems the best thing to do.
Contact your bank first
But above all, this manipulation allows fraudsters to erase the potentially criminal traceability of money through these transfers. A fifty-year-old interviewed by West France almost paid the price, receiving more than 200 euros in his account. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to contact her bank, who encouraged her not to do anything.
Not seeing the money returned, the scammer contacted the woman several times by SMS and telephone to recover the money but the latter held firm so as not to be involved in any fraud. If a similar situation happens to you, it is recommended not to make any money movements and to contact your bank advisor quickly.
Scammers mainly target vulnerable people such as retirees or the unemployed. To the latter, they sometimes offer financial compensation in order to achieve their ends. The authorities therefore encourage vigilance: in the event of suspicious transfers to your account, do not act urgently and advise your bank on the procedure to follow.
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