Eighteen web domains have recently been seized in an FBI and US Postal Inspection Service joint operation, which malicious operators used for recruiting money mules. Reports revealed that the malicious web domains were used to post fake ‘quality control inspector’ job offers, where victims are tasked to ship items from their homes or purchase items using their credit cards.
Moreover, the victims are asked to take photos of the packages they received, reship them to a different address, and receive $20 as compensation for each item processed successfully. In an online platform used as a collaboration system for all the hired “employees,” the FBI investigated one of the accounts and discovered a history log of about 25 fraudulent purchases performed as instructed by the operators.
About 64 complaints have been received by the authorities since February 2021, instigating their investigations on the malicious web domains.
Despite the seizure of the malicious web domains, authorities have yet to arrest its main operators since they all reside in foreign countries. However, the US DoJ holds evidence proving that these scammers are Russian-based entities.
The FBI displayed seizure notices on all web domains that warn job seekers about scammers taking advantage of remote employment and paying people high salaries for little but suspicious work tasks. People are also advised to report similar malicious sites to the FTC.
Since remote work has been in demand since the pandemic began, job seekers must also verify the firms they apply to before accepting a job offer. Searching the internet helps verify a company’s authenticity and background, and reading other people’s company reviews on websites such as Glassdoor.
Money mules, in this case, may not be aware of participating in a crime, but the FBI say they are still involved as crime accessory. In a press release, the FBI stated that aside from compromising their personally identifiable information (PII) and financial security, the money mules also cooperate with a crime they are unaware of.
People must always refuse once asked to send or receive money on behalf of entities they are not professionally responsible for. Suppose it happens that an entity is requesting to send or receive funds or items on behalf of others. In that case, there is a high possibility that it is an operation from malicious actors recruiting money mules.
