What is Money Mule?
A person who moves stolen or laundered money for criminals — often without realizing it's a crime.
A money mule is someone who receives money from one place and forwards it to another on behalf of a criminal, disguising the trail. Some mules know exactly what they're doing; many are ordinary people tricked into it through fake 'work from home payment processor' jobs, romance scams, or 'reshipping' gigs.
The crucial, dangerous fact: 'I didn't know' is not always a defense. Moving criminal proceeds — even unknowingly, even for free — can carry real criminal liability, frozen accounts, and a permanent banking black mark.
The rule that protects you: never receive money into your account to forward on for someone else, never let anyone 'use' your account, and treat any job whose main task is moving funds as the crime it usually is.
Related terms
Definitions from the Business Dog Glossary — educational, occasionally satirical, never financial advice.