Student Part-Time Job That Was a Mule Scam

How students get targeted

The job ads appear on Instagram, TikTok, Telegram and WhatsApp. They promise easy money for a simple task: receive a bank transfer, then send it on to another account. The pay is RM100 to RM500 per task, with no interview and no questions asked. ^{[f1] [f2]}

For a student on a tight budget, it looks like a lifeline. The recruiter is friendly and calls the work “payment processing” or “financial assistance”. It all feels casual and safe.

What they do not tell you is that each transfer moves money stolen from scam victims. Your bank account is being used as a mule account, and every task you complete is a criminal transaction.

How the scam works

The recruiter asks for your account number or, in worse cases, your online banking login. They put money into your account and tell you to withdraw it as cash or transfer it on. You keep a small cut as pay.

Some ask you to open a new account just for the tasks. Others ask for your ATM card and PIN. Recruiters may rotate between several students to avoid being caught.

The money belongs to fraud victims across Malaysia. When they report to police, the trail leads to your account. The account is frozen and you become a suspect.

What students can be charged with

Being a student does not change the charge. ^[f5] Section 424C of the Penal Code covers carrying out transactions through a payment instrument without a lawful purpose. The penalty is 3 to 10 years in prison or a fine of RM10,000 to RM150,000, or both. ^[f5]

Read more about how section 424C works.

If you handed over your account or card instead of making the transfers yourself, the charge may be under section 424B, explained in section 424B explained. Its penalty is lower than under section 424C, but still serious. Section 424A covers someone who holds or controls another person’s account.

A criminal record follows you. ^[f3] Some employers, for example in banking, government, education and professional services, run background checks, and a conviction under these laws can show up.

Professional bodies may refuse a licence. Visa applications to study or work abroad can be turned down.

Your university can act on its own. ^[f4] Under the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971, universities can discipline students involved in crime. This can range from a warning to suspension or expulsion, whatever happens in the criminal case.

What to do now

Cut contact with the recruiter. Do not warn them, take more tasks or follow their advice on what to tell police. Screenshot every chat before you block them.

Keep all evidence. Save the job ad, every message from the recruiter, records of what you were paid and your bank statements. Back up your phone, because this evidence is the base of your defence.

Tell your parents or an adult you trust. This is a serious legal matter and you need support. Your family can help you find and pay for a lawyer.

See a lawyer before your police statement. Attend when police call you, and get legal help before you answer questions about your account. Your first statement matters.

Do not open new accounts or move money. Any attempt to get around the freeze looks like hiding something. Stay away from the accounts involved.

Sources

1. Penal Code (Amendment) 2024, Sections 424A, 424B, 424C
2. Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) 2024, Section 116D
3. Universities and University Colleges Act 1971
4. Low & Partners, “Keldai Accounts: When Helping a Friend Becomes a Criminal Offence” (2024)
5. PDRM Semak Mule Platform, Royal Malaysia Police