Examples of money mule recruitment emails

Real "job offers" collected by Bank Safe Online between 2004 and 2007, every one a confirmed money mule scam. The company names are fake or stolen, but the pitch is the one still used today on WhatsApp, Telegram, job sites and social media: get paid a percentage to receive money into your account and send it on.

The tells that appear in almost every email

• An overseas company that "needs a UK representative". Usually to receive customer payments because of a tax or banking excuse.
• The tax excuse. "Transfer tax for companies is 25%, for individuals only 7%, that's why we need you." No such tax exists.
• A percentage commission, typically 5 to 15% of each payment you pass on.
• Western Union or MoneyGram as the way to send the money onward. Cash transfers can't be recalled.
• "Everything is absolutely legal, that's why you have to sign a contract." The contract is there to reassure you, not protect you.
• You must have a bank account, sometimes at a named bank, or a PayPal account, and be willing to "accept transfers".
• No interview, no skills needed, a few hours a week, £1,000 to £4,000 a month.
• Poor English and strange capitals or symbols ("Ple@se read this$ letter @ttent1vely") to get past spam filters.

2004 and 2005: the first wave

"Zhuang Altern International". Dear United Kingdom resident, our company is located in South Korea (motherland for such brands as Samsung, Daewoo and others). For now we have a demand in increasing the number of our part time employees in United Kingdom. We are ready to offer you the part-time job with the salaries starting from GBP 200 to GBP 700 weekly for 1-2 hours of employment time daily. The title for the position is "Junior financial representative". Main tasks are: receiving some calls on behalf of our customers, receiving some business correspondence, receiving some business transactions on behalf of our customers.

"PAN Pharm". PAN Pharm is a Swiss company looking for people who will help us to establish a new distribution network in Europe to sell medical and consumer goods. We need agents to receive payment for our products (wire transfers) and to send the money to us. Tax for international money transfer made by legal entity (company) in Switzerland is 25%. There is no sense for us to work this way, but tax for international money transfer made by a private individual is 7% - That's why we need You! HOW MUCH WILL YOU EARN? 7%-9% from each sale/resale operation! For instance: you receive 1000 USD - you will withdraw the money from the bank account and keep $70 for yourself! Your job is absolutely legal.

"Labian Corp". We are looking for business partners in Australia and United Kingdom. You can easy earn up to 2000$ per month! Just be our agent and that's all! We need agents to receive payment for our products (wire transfers) and to send the money to us. This way we will save money because of the tax decreasing. As soon as you receive the money from us (usually it's up to 5000$ per transaction), you will leave for your self 6-8% from the each amount. The rest of the money you send to us using Western Union. Everything is absolutely legal, that's why You have to fill a contract!

"A-Pharm" (Latvia). The international money transfer tax for legal entities in Latvia is 30%, whereas for the individual it is only 7%. That's why we need agents to receive payment for our products and to resend the money to us. Agent's commission is 7% from each transaction (for instance: you receive 1000GBP to your bank account, you will withdraw the money and keep 70GBP for yourself). You'll be responsible just for making proper payments in time (24 hrs since the successful receipt).

"TransferGate". Subject: Work From Home! TransferGate was founded in 2001 by an international group of experts in the sphere of finance and marketing to solve currency exchange problem. We permanently need new people to occupy the position of Processing Manager, able to receive and send payments. This part-time job does not require any special skills. The task of the Processing Manager is to process payments between our partners' clients and our company. Every payment will be accompanied by detailed instruction.

"Partner with paypal account need". We are looking for business-partners in world for cooperation in money exchange. Our company is the leader in online money-exchange on the Russian market. In order to become our partner you need: verified paypal account. You must have cash funds or credit card to make westernunion transfer instantly, after u receive paypal funds. We pay 10% and all paypal fees and westernunion fees.

"Vonateks Electronics". A leading manufacturer of high resolution videowalls and projection cubes, is once again beginning an unprecedented campaign of employing new staff in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. During our last employment campaign we successfully employed hundreds of Representatives and Couriers. These openings are part-time positions with the opportunity to make 1000-3000 USD per month working 2-4 hours per day with us.

What to notice: the "tax" story, the commission, Western Union, and the insistence that it's legal. "Receiving business transactions on behalf of our customers" means receiving stolen money.

2006: fake companies and stolen names

"Europe North Plc". Our company located in Congleton, Cheshire is hiring now across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Available vacancies (part-time and full-time): Couriers (GBP 8-12 Per Hour) - vacancies available in 87 cities; Call Center Operators (Women with pleasant voice; GBP 8-15 Per Hour); File Managers; Expediters; PP Assistants/Managers. Entry level candidates/retirees are welcome. Training provided. Please visit our vacancies page/online registration form.

"Financial Escrow Inc". Our company want to suggest you a vacancy - TRANSFER MANAGER. The task of the Transfer Manager is to process payments between our partners' clients and our company, in particular, to manage cash and balance receipts. General requirements: willingness to work from home; honesty, responsibility and promptness in operations; one or several personal bank accounts. Salary: $400-$800 per week. Current Vacancies: 5.

"H & S International Limited" (textiles, Latvia). The international money transfer tax for legal entities in Latvia is 25%, whereas for the individual it is only 7%. JOB DESCRIPTION: 1. Receive payment from Clients. 2. Cash Payments at your Bank. 3. Deduct 10% which will be your percentage. 4. Forward balance to any of the offices you will be contacted to send payment to (by Money Gram or Western Union). At the beginning your commission will equal 10%, though later it will increase up to 12%! And please know that Everything is absolutely legal, that's why You have to fill a contract form!

"Business V Company". Introduces a position of a manager, responsible for the payments from our customers. Requirements: being under 75 years old and more than 18; having a bank account in your country (you can open a separate account specially for receiving funds from us); having a landline or mobile phone. Candidates will: check your e-mail 4-5 times per day; receive funds from our clients; transfer received funds to our customers (by any accessible method). We cover all transfer fees! First trial month we offer 5% commission on every transaction. You will need no money to start!

"ExxonMobil Co - company representative needed". I am Mr. Lucas Bradley, the P.R.O of ExxonMobil Company from United Kingdom. We want you as a representative of this Company in your country, and all you need do is to respond to customers from various part of the world, as well as making payments through you as our payment officer, and your reward is 10%. I am hereby assuring you that you will have no cause to regret your involvement in this venture, as nobody is going to ask you to pay any money. Please forward: (1) Your full names, (2) Contact address, (3) Phone/fax numbers.

Note: ExxonMobil is a genuine company whose name was stolen to make the scam look credible. Criminals routinely borrow real names, logos and Companies House numbers.

"Paul Simons, estate agent". I'm an estate agent in United State of America. I have customers from United Kingdom who right now is purchasing houses from me and wants to pay me in cheque, but I dont have an account in United Kingdom to clear the check. I want a representative who can receive the cheques from them and have the check cleared in his account in United Kingdom on a percentage ratio: 10% of any transaction.

"Hard Soft Ltd". Subject: Monster Job employer#3401: financial manager, 3000 EUR. Hard Soft Ltd. looking for employees of the age 21 and older. You can earn real money without special skills, higher education or investments. All you need is a PC, Internet and e-mail. You will earn more 2000-4000 GBP per week! United Kingdom required! Please, send your CV.

"Nice job. Salary 3000 pounds per month". Ple@se read this$ letter @ttent1vely! Hello, our c0mpany opens a new vacancy. Now we have started our activity in the territory of the UK and we need to employ people who will work as our representative. Our vacancy is opened for you if you are: age from 18 till 60 years; located in the territory of the UK; have a skill to communicate and access to the Internet. You will earn from 1000 up to 3000 pounds, working only some hours per day. Send: your full name, your contact e-mail, your phone number.

"ForceTronix". ForceTronix and Chase Bank are glad to present new fraud free, full functional payment system for large amounts. And now we need people with bank account in Chase Bank, who can accept payments and who can give us online access to their account. You do not need any money on this account. You will get 10 percents from itch transaction. Amount of itch transaction is not less then $3000. Guaranteed income - minimum $200 per day. Low taxes (we take care about you taxes).

"Kings Diamonds Company". Your email was submitted to us by an online job recruiting agency. KINGS DIAMONDS COMPANY, is based in the United Kingdom. Founded by Scott Connor in 1921. We are looking for representative worldwide who will be working for the company as a part-time or online worker and we are willing to pay 10% for every transaction, someone who would help us receive payments from our customers and get them processed at their banks. Kindly get back to us with your: FIRST NAME, LAST NAME, ADDRESS...

"Tapar Group" (Dakar). Tapar Group is in search of a book-keeper/company representatives in the United States, Canada and the UK. All you need to do is receive these payments from our clients in your country, get it deposited at your bank, cash it then deduct your percentage (15% of each payment) plus transfer charges and forward the balance funds to one of company's representatives via Moneygram/Western Union. Our payments will be issued out in your name. I would require: your full name, residential address, phone number, age, occupation.

"Flower Land Inc". FlowerLand International is an american trading company. The company has an opportunity for a talented, highly creative persons. We can employ people from all over the world. Main advantages: really high wages; ability to work from home; no sign up fees, no investment is needed; all expenses will be fully covered by our company. Degree: no degree required. Please send your resume to our personnel manager.

What to notice: "give us online access to your account", "payments will be issued in your name", "you can open a separate account specially for receiving funds". Several of these were sent through genuine job boards, which is why a listing on a real site is no guarantee.

2007: charity and "investment" fronts

"Adams Kids Child Care". Here is an opportunity to work online from home and get paid weekly. Adams kids Child Care is one of the UK largest Christian charity organization working with orphans. All you need do is receive payments made to us from our Donors in the form of money orders, cashiers checks, travellers checks, bank drafts, cash them at your bank and deduct 10% of the fund processed by you after which you forward the remaining fund to any of our territorial managers by western union. You only need to give 2 hours a fortnight. It's nothing to you but it's everything to the kids. I'm sending you this offer because clearing this fund here takes longer time and 25% is deducted from it at the bank. Get back with: Full Name, Address, Telephone, Age, Sex.

"Harvey Investment Company". Today we are looking for customer service associates who share our command spirit. Customer service associate is responsible for being in close touch with the staff from the head office, accepting customer payments to his bank account and making further calculations regarding them. The associate should deduct his 10% interest out of every transaction, as well as all the related charges. The associate further makes a Western Union/MoneyGram transfer of the balance left to the company's regional department. Ideal candidate should possess 1-2 free hours a day, a bank account, available to be used for the company needs.

What to notice: a charity front to make you feel good about it; cheques and money orders that bounce weeks after you've forwarded the cash; "a bank account available to be used for the company needs".

The same scam in 2026

The emails have become WhatsApp and Telegram messages, TikTok adverts and job-board listings. The jobs are now "payment agent", "crypto broker assistant", "shopping agent", "finance intern" or "customer funds manager". Payment goes out by crypto rather than Western Union. Some recruiters now ask you to open accounts at several banks or hand over your online banking login entirely. Students, new arrivals to the UK and people in financial difficulty are targeted deliberately. The outcome is unchanged: your account is closed, your name goes on the Cifas database, and the "wages" are recovered as proceeds of crime. Read money mules explained and job and task scams.

Last reviewed: October 2026