Penal Code 424A, 424B And 424C

Three sections, three different acts

Mule account cases in Malaysia can be charged under Penal Code section 424A, 424B or 424C. The numbers sound alike, but each one punishes a different act and carries a different penalty.

The section named against you tells you what you are accused of doing and how heavy the punishment could be.

Section 424A: holding someone else’s account or card

Section 424A covers having or controlling another person’s bank account or payment card without lawful authority. In plain words: you had their card, account or login when you had no right to it.

The penalty is a fine of RM5,000 to RM50,000, or 6 months to 5 years in jail, or both ^[f1]. This is the lowest range of the three, but it is still a serious criminal charge.

Section 424B: giving control of your own account to someone else

Section 424B works the other way round. It punishes handing control of your own account or card to another person, by lending, selling or giving it away.

The penalty is a fine of RM10,000 to RM100,000, or 1 to 7 years in jail, or both ^[f2]. Some people charged under this section handed over access after being deceived, so what happened around it matters a great deal.

Section 424C: transactions through an account without a lawful purpose

Section 424C is the most serious of the three. It covers actually making transactions through an account without a lawful purpose, such as using it to move scam money.

The penalty is 3 to 10 years in jail, or a fine of RM10,000 to RM150,000, or both ^[f3]. It covers the act of moving money, not just holding or lending an account, so it carries the heaviest range.

Why the exact section matters

Each section describes different conduct, so the one chosen reflects what the evidence is said to show you did ^{[f1] [f2] [f3]}. That choice sets the penalty range and shapes how the case is argued.

Read the charge to see which act it accuses you of, instead of guessing from the number.

Being charged is not being convicted

A charge under any of these sections is an accusation the prosecution must prove. Whether you knew what was happening, and whether you were deceived, are the central questions for your defence.

Article 5(3) of the Federal Constitution gives you the right to consult and be defended by a lawyer of your choice ^[f4]. Police detected 46,048 mule accounts in 2023 and 50,295 in 2024 ^[f5], but each case is still decided on its own facts.

What the section number does not decide

The number tells you the act alleged and the penalty range, up to 10 years for 424C ^[f3]. It does not decide whether you actually did it.

What you knew, what you were told and why you acted are questions of evidence. Two people charged under the same section can be in very different positions.

What to do if a section has been named

Find out which section is named, and keep every message, transfer record and screenshot that shows what you knew and did. Do not give a detailed statement before you have spoken to a lawyer.

A lawyer can read the charge or the police notice with you, explain which act it alleges and help prepare your side of the story.

Sources

1. https://www.lawnet.com.my/penal-code
2. https://www.lawnet.com.my/federal-constitution
3. https://www.rmp.gov.my/