A money mule is someone who moves stolen money or goods for criminals, often a job seeker who had no idea. If a "job" fits that description, the most important thing is to stop now.
What a money mule does
You receive money into your account or packages at your home, then forward most of it on, keeping a small cut as "pay." The money or goods came from fraud, and routing them through you hides the trail. That is the money mule role, and the reshipping job is a common version.
Signs that was you
- A job that had you reship packages using labels the employer emailed.
- A role that had you accept payments and forward them to "vendors" or "clients."
- A "payment processor" or "logistics" job with no real interview and weekly pay that kept slipping.
What to do right now
- Stop forwarding any money or packages immediately.
- Keep all records: messages, names, labels, tracking and bank details, and dates.
- Report it to the FBI's IC3 and the FTC.
- Tell your bank if your account was used, so they can watch for further activity.
Why acting now matters
Stopping and reporting promptly is what protects you. It ends your part in the fraud and shows you acted in good faith once you understood it. If your bank account was used to receive and forward money, contact the bank so it can flag the account and help separate you from the activity, since banks and investigators distinguish between the people running these schemes and the job seekers used by them. For the wider reporting steps, see how to report a job scam. To avoid the next one, paste any offer into the free checker.