Most people understand that money laundering (running the profits of criminal enterprises through legitimate bank accounts) is against the law. However, there are a couple of ways that unwitting individuals can be convinced they are doing so for lawful reasons
Let’s explore two of those scenarios.
Lonely hearts scams go high-tech
There have always been these types of scams that ensnare those lonely souls looking for love in an often-cold world. For scammers who prey on these types of people, dating sites are rife with opportunities to dupe naive people seeking partners.
They respond to ads with love bombs designed to delight and overwhelm. Convinced they’ve finally won the love lottery, their targets are eager to please their new romantic partners. They can then be persuaded to use their bank accounts to transfer funds for a series of far-fetched but possible reasons.
Job applicants get preyed upon, too
There are numerous online networking sites for job seekers that routinely get flooded with offers of remote “ghost jobs” where transferring money into different accounts is the sole task required. The scammers allow the “money mules” to keep a percentage of each transfer as their “commission.”
How you can get caught
A savvy bank employee might pull you aside and question you about these money transfers. If they are not satisfied with the explanation you give, they could alert the police. Also, there are protocols that banks are required to use that help detect problematic transactions.
Federal authorities’ response will likely be guided by whether they deem you to be unwitting, witting or complicit. Learning more about the consequences of white collar crime can help you as you deal with federal charges.
