Sophisticated criminal groups are increasingly recruiting young Australians as “money mules”, with ANZ warning the problem has reached “alarming” levels.
The bank has detected around 4,000 attempted recruitments since September 2025, with criminals specifically targeting students living away from home or studying internationally.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Students targeted in money mule recruitment scam
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The scam works by offering fast cash in exchange for access to bank accounts and identification. Criminals use these accounts to move dirty money, often without the victims realising they’re being used.
“These students are recruited as money mules,” ANZ’s Marc Broome said.
“We often see fake job advertisements as a key one that offenders are using, so like payment processing or financial assistance,” Griffith Criminology Institute’s Dr Jacqueline Drew said.
The tactics being employed are brazen, with criminals not only messaging students online but even approaching them directly on university campuses.
“I think criminals could see students as an easy target,” Broome said.
When asked if they would be tempted by an offer of easy money, several students admitted the promise of cash could be hard to ignore, particularly for those struggling financially.
“I suppose it depends on how you would make the money,” one student said.
Experts say there is one clear warning sign to watch for.
“In terms of any financial fraud, if it seems too good to be true, it often is,” Drew said.
