422 arrests and 4,031 money mules identified
Europol launches Operation EMMA 6 and the #DontBeaMule communication campaign to combat and prevent money muling.
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Today, law enforcement agencies from 26 European countries and Europol have released the results of the European Money Mule Action "EMMA 6", a global operation against money mule schemes. Between September and November 2020, operation "EMMA 6" was conducted for the sixth consecutive year with the support of the EBF (European Banking Federation), FINTRAIL, INTERPOL, and Western Union. As a result, 4.031 money mules were identified, along with 227 recruiters, and 422 individuals were arrested worldwide.
During the operation, 1,529 criminal investigations were initiated. With the support of the private sector, including over 500 banks and financial institutions, 4,942 fraudulent money mule transactions were identified, preventing a total loss of approximately 33.5 million euros.
Furthermore, this week Europol and law enforcement agencies from several European countries, together with the CERTFin and other international partners and financial institutions, will launch the campaign #DontBeaMule to raise public awareness about the risks of money muling. The initiative aims to inform about how criminals operate, how to protect oneself, and what to do if involved.
