What are the red flags of this scam?

A stranger or online contact offers you $200–$500 to let them use your bank account or to receive transfers and forward them on • The opportunity is advertised as a 'side hustle', 'quick cash', 'easy remote work', or 'commission on transfers' — usually via Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, or in person near a university campus • The recruiter asks for your bank account login, card details, or identity documents (passport, driver licence) to 'set up payments' • You are told the transfers are from overseas clients, a business, or an investment fund — and instructed not to ask questions • The recruiter becomes hard to contact after the first payment and the account you forwarded money to is overseas or cryptocurrency

What should I do if this happened to me?

Never give your bank account access, card details, or identity documents to anyone you do not know and trust in person — not for any promised payment • If you have already received transfers and forwarded money, stop immediately and call your bank to report it — do not forward any remaining balance • Contact the AFP or your local police station; early reporting significantly affects outcomes under Australian money-laundering law • Know that participating, even unknowingly, can result in your bank account being frozen, a criminal record, and possible prosecution • AFP #DontBeAMule campaign: see afp.gov.au for information on how to recognise and report this • Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

HIGH job Last reported: 19 Oct 2026 Share

"Easy cash side hustle" recruiter asks you to receive transfers into your bank account and forward them on

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Criminals recruit students and young workers via social media and campus messaging apps, offering hundreds of dollars to receive money into their bank account and forward it on. The account holder is unknowingly laundering proceeds of crime. Conviction carries up to life imprisonment.

Criminals recruit students and young workers via social media and campus messaging apps, offering hundreds of dollars to receive money into their bank account and forward it on. The account holder is unknowingly laundering proceeds of crime. Conviction carries up to life imprisonment.

Also known as: money mule scam Australia, bank account rental scam Australia, student side hustle money transfer scam, easy cash job bank transfer scam, DontBeAMule Australia

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Never give your bank account access, card details, or identity documents to anyone you do not know and trust in person — not for any promised payment
2 If you have already received transfers and forwarded money, stop immediately and call your bank to report it — do not forward any remaining balance
3 Contact the AFP or your local police station; early reporting significantly affects outcomes under Australian money-laundering law
4 Know that participating, even unknowingly, can result in your bank account being frozen, a criminal record, and possible prosecution
5 AFP #DontBeAMule campaign: see afp.gov.au for information on how to recognise and report this
6 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

Red flags

⚠ A stranger or online contact offers you $200–$500 to let them use your bank account or to receive transfers and forward them on
⚠ The opportunity is advertised as a 'side hustle', 'quick cash', 'easy remote work', or 'commission on transfers' — usually via Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, or in person near a university campus
⚠ The recruiter asks for your bank account login, card details, or identity documents (passport, driver licence) to 'set up payments'
⚠ You are told the transfers are from overseas clients, a business, or an investment fund — and instructed not to ask questions
⚠ The recruiter becomes hard to contact after the first payment and the account you forwarded money to is overseas or cryptocurrency

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources