How Syndicates Build Mule Networks
The layered way scam syndicates recruit and use mule accounts, and why ordinary people get caught.
Sources checked 2026-09-17
Why a network exists at all
Scam money cannot simply land in the account of the people who stole it. That would lead investigators straight to them. So syndicates put distance between themselves and the money by moving it through accounts that belong to other people.
A mule account is one of those borrowed accounts. It adds a layer, a buffer between the crime and the cash. The more layers there are, the harder the trail is to follow.
That is why ordinary account holders get pulled in. Some are used as that buffer without planning anything.
The layers of a typical network
At the top are controllers, who may operate from outside the country or behind other people. They may never touch an account directly.
Below them are recruiters and coordinators, who find people willing to hand over accounts or open new ones. They may pose as employers, online friends or agents offering easy commission.
At the bottom are the recruited account holders. Their names are on the accounts, so when money is traced, they can be the first people investigators see. The Commercial Crime Investigation Department at Bukit Aman is the police unit that follows these trails [f1].
Why the bottom layer is most exposed
The network is built to protect the top, so the visible name may not be the controller.
Police detected 46,048 mule accounts in 2023 and 50,295 in 2024 [f2]. The PDRM Semak Mule portal, which lists flagged accounts and phone numbers, had more than 190,000 accounts flagged as of 2024/2025 reporting [f3].
Being at the bottom does not decide your guilt. It does explain why you may be identified first.
How people are recruited
Recruitment looks harmless. A part-time job that asks you to receive and forward money. A friend who needs your account for a short while. An agent promising commission for letting money pass through.
The common thread is a request to use your account for someone else’s money. That one step is what the network needs, and it is the step that later draws attention.
If any offer asks for your bank access, card or online banking details, treat it as a warning sign, not an opportunity.
How your role shapes the offence
The law does not treat every person in the chain the same way. Giving control of your own account to someone else is covered by Penal Code s424B [f4]. It carries a fine of RM10,000 to RM100,000 or 1 to 7 years in jail, or both [f4].
Making transactions through an account without a lawful purpose is covered by s424C [f5]. It carries 3 to 10 years in jail or a fine of RM10,000 to RM150,000, or both [f5]. Which section is alleged depends on what you actually did.
That is why the details of how you were used matter. Two people in the same network can face very different allegations.
What to do if you think you were recruited
Do not delete the messages, job offers or chats that led you in. They may be the clearest evidence of how you were deceived.
Write down who approached you, when, and what they promised, while it is fresh. A lawyer can work with an honest timeline like this.
Then get advice before you give any statement, so your side is recorded properly rather than guessed at.
The information only you can give
An account holder at the bottom of a network may assume investigators already know everything. That may not be true. Controllers sit behind layers, so how you were approached may be something the investigation does not yet have.
Think back to how it began. Who contacted you first, on which platform, and what were you told the account would be used for? The words used, the promises made and the pressure applied show what you understood at the time.
Keep the job advertisement, the chat thread, the person’s profile and any payment you were promised. These records connect you to the layer above and show you were recruited, not in charge.
A lawyer can help you present this. A clear, truthful account of how you were used is better than silence. Message us on WhatsApp with your chats and a lawyer can look at them with you.
Sources
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Why do syndicates use other people's accounts?
Moving stolen money through their own names would lead straight back to them. Layers of borrowed accounts break that trail, so investigators must follow it step by step. Each recruited account holder becomes a buffer, which is why the person at the bottom of the chain can be the first to be identified and questioned.
I was recruited and did not know. Am I still at risk?
You can still be investigated, because an account in your name was used. What you knew at the time matters to the case, and honest evidence of how you were deceived is important. That is why you should keep the recruitment messages and job offers, not delete them.
How far up the chain do investigators get?
It varies. Controllers can sit abroad or behind more layers, so the visible suspects are the recruited account holders. The case does not end there, but you should not assume investigators already know the whole network. Your account of who approached you and how can add real information.
Does my role change what I might be charged with?
It can. Handing over your own account is a different offence from making transactions through an account without a lawful purpose, and the penalties differ. A lawyer can read the allegation, explain which section fits and make sure your side of how you were used is recorded properly.
Related pages
If your situation is a little different, these pages cover the closest topics.
Need a Lawyer for Your Frozen Account Case?
Request Lawyer ContactFor people seeking legal representation. For general information, use our guides and tools.
Independent information resource, not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice. Where appropriate and with your consent, we can connect you with an independent lawyer. Availability and acceptance of a case are not guaranteed. How referral works