Doing it for the money: University students among 208,000 mule account holders in Malaysia, lured by cash offers from scammers of up to RM1,000, Bukit Aman reveals

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — Lured by offers of cash ranging from RM500 to RM1,000, federal police have revealed that university students were among the 208,000 mule account holders in the country identified by the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID).

CCID director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said there were students who willingly “sold” their bank accounts and automated teller machine (ATM) cards to scammers, news portal New Straits Times reported today.

“The ‘price’ for a bank card and account offered by these scammers may vary from RM500 to RM1,000,” he was quoted as saying, adding that scam syndicates would establish the connection with students by engaging with them on social media chats.

Some would offer cash in exchange for a bank card or internet banking details, he was quoted as saying.

Raml warned university students of the repercussions if they were caught by police, saying that anyone who signed up to be a mule account holder was just asking for trouble with the law.

“Many students don’t realise that when the police arrest them on suspicion of being ‘mules’ or scammers, they can be charged in court,” NST quoted him as saying.

Those charged in court will have a “black mark” that will stay with them for the rest of their life because the police record may hinder future career prospects, Ramli was quoted as saying.

“Securing a proper job after completing tertiary education will be very difficult.

“More so, if one wishes to join the financial or banking sectors... It would be very hard because you have a police record,” he was quoted as saying.

Ramli issued a reminder to the public to be wary and to keep their bank details private, saying that anyone can be a mule for scam syndicates.

“As long as you lend, permit or provide your banking details to someone else to carry out financial transactions for someone other than you...it could be a simple request to provide your account number from a person claiming that he has forgotten to bring along his ATM card and his family needs to transfer money to him,” Ramli was quoted as saying.