STUDENTS are being warned not to get sucked into becoming a money mule by the lure of quick cash.

Officers at Action Fraud have issued a warning to students in Swindon and Wiltshire that many are being recruited, sometimes unwittingly, as “mules” by criminals to transfer illegally obtained money between different bank accounts.

A money mule is someone who is recruited by those needing to launder money obtained illegally. Criminals advertise fake jobs in newspapers and on the internet in a number of ways, usually offering opportunities to make money quickly, in order to lure potential money mule recruits.

They do this through social media posts, copying genuine company’s websites to create impression of legitimacy, sending mass emails offering employment and even targeting individuals that have posted their CVs on employment websites.

A spokesperson for Action Fraud said: "Students are particularly susceptible to adverts of this nature. For someone in full-time education, the opportunity for making money quickly can understandably be an attractive one.

"The mule will accept money into their bank account, before following further instructions on what to do with the funds.

"Instructions could include transferring the money into a separate specified account or withdrawing the cash and forwarding it on via money transfer service companies like Western Union or MoneyGram. The mule is generally paid a small percentage of the funds as they pass through their account."

Money Laundering is a criminal offence which can lead to prosecution and a custodial sentence. It can lead to the mule being unable to obtain credit in the UK and prevented from holding a bank account.