Money Mule Recruitment in the Netherlands_Brenda Arevalo

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING

Facilitators of financial crime: An explorative research on money mules

in the Netherlands

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Criminologist, Brenda C. ArevaloUtrecht UniversityThe NetherlandsOctober 17, 2016

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1st CEPOL National Units Meeting 27-29 September 2016: 6.1 e-Net

Topic Outline

1. Introduction2. Methodology3. Cybercriminals: Methods of operation4. Recruiters 5. Vulnerabilities of individuals to money mule recruitment 6. Future of money mule recruitment 7. Conclusion

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Introduction

1. What is a money mule? 2. Research question

a. How are money mules recruited and used in the Netherlands, and which characteristics make an individual vulnerable to money mule recruitment?

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Methodology

1. Secondary analysis 2. Interviews3. Virtual ethnographic research

a. Fb, opgeletopinternet.nl, Fok.nl4. Content analysis

1. Dutch TV program, Meldpunt5. Limitations

a. Access to money mules

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Cybercriminals: Methods of operation

Gaining access to money through:

1. Social Engineering 2. Phishing 3. Malware

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Phishing

Source: http://www.gridelock.com

http://www.gridelock.com/

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Malware

Source: www.krebsonsecurity.com

http://www.krebsonsecurity.com/

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Recruiters

Methods used to recruit money mules

1. Face-to-face 2. Online job scams 3. Social media networks 4. Romance scams

Source: http://www.techweekeurope.co.uk/

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Money laundering with money mules via face-to-face recruitment

1. Cybercriminal

access to victim’s account

2. Recruiters

3.Recruitment

of money mules

4.Money

transferred into mules accounts

5. Money

withrawn from mules

accounts by recruiters or

mules

6. Money

transferred to cybercriminal

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Money laundering with money mules via online recruitment

Source: http://www.afp.gov.au/

http://www.afp.gov.au/

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Vulnerabilities to recruitment

1. Financial compensation 2. Financial strain3. Social networks

a. Face-to-face recruitment4. Rationalization of behaviour and actions

a. Deny responsibility

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[Vulnerabilities to recruitment?/title/chapter]

1. Financial Strain: Money 2. Social networks

a. Recruitment is perceived as ‘normal’

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Future…

1. Expert opinions on money mule recruitment2. Bitcoins3. International money mules

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[Vulnerabilities to recruitment?/title/chapter]

1. Financial Strain: Money 2. Social networks

a. Recruitment is perceived as ‘normal’

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Conclusion1. How are money mules recruited and used?

a. They are recruited via: • Face-to-face (most common) • Online job scams (common) • Social media (least common) • Romance scams (least common)

b. Used: for the sole purpose of laundering money and for the anonymity factor it offers cybercriminals

2. Cybercriminals method of operation determines recruitment a. Phishing = face-to-face recruitmentb. Malware = online (job) scams recruitment

3. Vulnerabilities?a. Monetary incentive b. Financial strain i.e. unemployment c. Social networksd. Rationalization of behaviour and actions

Thank you for your attention!European Union Agency for Law Enforcement TrainingOffices: H-1066 Budapest, Ó utca 27., Hungary • Correspondence: H-1903 Budapest, Pf. 314, HungaryTelephone: +36 1 803 8030 • Fax: +36 1 803 8032 • E-mail: [email protected] • www.cepol.europa.eu

Money Mule Recruitment in the Netherlands_Brenda Arevalo

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