Delivery Rider Account Flagged as a Mule Account

Why syndicates target delivery riders

Delivery riders can be targeted for mule account recruitment. ^[f1] Syndicates can approach riders at rest stops, in group chats or through other riders. The offer sounds simple: let someone use your account for a few transfers and earn easy money on top of your deliveries.

Syndicates want your account for a practical reason. As a gig worker, your account already shows irregular deposits from many sources, such as Grab, foodpanda and Shopee payouts. ^[f3] That mix helps hide the criminal money passing through.

Police have reported mule account cases involving gig workers. ^[f4] What feels like a one-off favour or quick side income can lead to serious criminal charges.

What section 424B means for you

Section 424B of the Penal Code targets anyone who gives another person possession or control of their own bank account. ^[f2] The penalty is a fine of RM10,000 to RM100,000, or 1 to 7 years in prison, or both.

The law looks at whether you gave someone control of your account. If you handed over your ATM card, shared your online banking password or let someone send money through your account, you could be charged under this section. What you knew and why you did it matter to your defence.

Read more about how section 424B works. Your defence depends on the details: how you were approached, what you were told, what pressure you were under and what you did when you realised something was wrong.

How it can happen to riders

It can start like this. A fellow rider, a friend or someone in a delivery group chat mentions an easy way to earn extra. They ask to borrow your account “just for a few days” or offer a little cash per transfer.

Sometimes it starts with a loan: someone offers to help with money trouble, and in return you let them use your account. Other times it is pitched as a business deal, helping a company move money between accounts. Either way, the real purpose of the transfers is hidden from you.

Once the money has passed through, the syndicate can disappear. When police trace the source of the funds, they find your account. Your name, IC number and bank records all end up in the investigation file.

Your legal position

Being a delivery rider does not protect you from prosecution, but you are not without options. The prosecution must prove certain things, and your circumstances matter.

If you were pressured, deceived or forced into giving access, that is relevant to your defence. If you stopped once you realised what was happening, that helps you. If your account was mainly used for genuine gig work income, your lawyer can show that. ^[f5]

A lawyer who handles mule account cases can tell you which evidence matters and how to present it.

What to do now

Stop all involvement. If you are still in touch with the person who used your account, cut contact and make no more transfers. Each transfer after you became suspicious weakens your defence.

Save all evidence. Keep every message, screenshot, call log and voice note linked to the person who approached you, plus platform records of your genuine earnings. Do not delete anything, even if it seems unrelated.

Get legal advice before giving a statement. If police summon you, go, and ask to speak to a lawyer first (see the first hours). Whatever you say, even about delivery jobs and who paid you, goes on the record.

Download your delivery records. Get your payout history, delivery logs and rider performance data from every platform you work on. They prove your genuine income and show normal account use that a lawyer can rely on.

Contact a lawyer. A lawyer who handles mule account cases can review what happened, explain your position and start building your defence strategy. Early advice keeps more options open.

How a lawyer builds your defence

Your lawyer separates your genuine delivery income from the suspicious transactions, to show the account was mainly a working account.

Platform evidence. Grab, foodpanda or Shopee payout records give a timeline of genuine income. Matched against your bank statements, they show which deposits were real earnings and which came from the person who used your account.

How you were recruited. How you were approached, what you were told and the pressure you faced all matter. Your lawyer can use this to show you were targeted by people who hid their real aims.

What you did next. If you stopped, reported it or protected yourself once you realised something was wrong, that supports your defence. Your lawyer puts it in context.

Your background. Your work history, any clean record, your money situation at the time and how convincing the approach was can all form part of a complete defence.

Why acting early matters

Messages get deleted, memories fade and the person who used your account can get harder to trace. The investigation goes on with what police have, which is your account records.

A lawyer brought in early can help make sure your side is heard while the evidence is fresh. They can talk to the investigating officer and explain your gig work.

If your account has been flagged as a mule account, act now. A short message about what happened is the first step to protecting yourself.

Sources

1. New Straits Times, “Mule Account Cases Involving Gig Workers on the Rise” (2024)
2. Low & Partners, “Keldai Accounts: When Helping a Friend Becomes a Criminal Offence” (2024)
3. Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2024, Sections 424A, 424B, 424C