Detailed Analysis of the New Fraud Scheme Involving "Mistaken Transfers," Turning Random Individuals into Unwitting Mules. Mechanics of the Scheme, Risks for Investors, and International Practices in Combatting Money Laundering.
A new fraudulent scheme is spreading in Russia, wherein “mistaken” money transfers serve as a tool for money laundering. A seemingly harmless random transfer to your account could be part of a large financial maneuver. One such “gift” has already landed a single mother from Astrakhan in the dock on charges of fraud.
How the "Mistaken Transfer" Scheme Works
The mechanism of this scheme is straightforward: fraudsters suddenly transfer a small sum of money, often a few thousand rubles, to a random bank account. Following this, a call or message arrives: a stranger with a sympathetic story requests the return of the money, claiming it was transferred to your account by mistake. The reason is often an exaggerated or touching legend (for example, the money was intended for a sick relative, but the sender made a mistake in the account number). By returning what are considered "foreign" funds, citizens unwittingly become entangled in a chain of suspicious transactions.
- Step 1: Illegally obtained money (often through online casinos, fraudulent schemes, or illegal crypto exchanges) is divided into small amounts and transferred to the accounts of random individuals.
- Step 2: Upon receiving the transfer, the victim falls for the fabricated legend and, at the request of the fraudster, sends the money to the criminals' accounts (not back to the original one!).
- Step 3: The money reaches an account controlled by the criminals as “clean” funds. At this point, it becomes harder to trace, and the person who received the transfer effectively becomes an accomplice in the money laundering process.
Example: A “Mistaken” Transfer of 40 Thousand and a Case Involving 1.5 Million
A recent case in Astrakhan demonstrated the dangers of this scheme. A single mother of many children received 40 thousand rubles in her account from an unknown sender. Shortly after, she received a call: the man claimed he mistakenly transferred the money instead of sending it to his sick grandmother's account. The woman believed the story and sent the 40 thousand back to the indicated details. Shortly after, the bank froze her account, and police summoned her for questioning. The seemingly innocent situation turned out to be part of a larger fraudulent case: the 40 thousand were one of the transfers in a chain totaling 1.5 million rubles. She is now recognized as a subject of the fraud case and an accomplice to a criminal group. For such a role, she faces a possible punishment of up to 6 years in prison.
Fraudsters' Goal: Legalizing "Dirty" Money
Why are the criminal groups willing to “share” money with random people? The point is that they create the illusion of legal transactions and establish a pseudo-legal connection between the victim and themselves. The return of a “mistaken” transfer records the fact of a financial relationship between the recipient and the criminals. These pseudo-one-off operations allow for the laundering of illegally obtained money without arousing suspicion from banking monitoring systems. Moreover, the seemingly innocent reverse transfer lays the groundwork for future operations. No matter how complex the routes are structured, the involvement of third-party accounts as intermediaries is indispensable.
Pity and Fear: The Intertwining of Manipulations
The “mistaken transfer” scheme does not operate through cyber-attacks; rather, it plays on human emotions. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the recipients of the money are eager to return someone else’s funds, genuinely believing in the sender's described concept of “justice.” This psychological trait is exploited by fraudsters. When the sympathetic request does not work, they switch to another scenario—taking on the role of law enforcement and claiming that the received transfer involves illegal funds (for example, funded for terrorism). Under the threat of criminal prosecution, the impostor demands that a significant amount be transferred to a “safe” account. Thus, intimidation and blackmail are used, causing citizens to panic and comply with the fraudsters.
Legal Risks: From Account Freezing to Criminal Charges
Even if the victim acted without malicious intent, the consequences can be devastating. Russian law considers such assistance as complicity in fraud (Article 159 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) or participation in money laundering (Articles 174 and 174.1). Proving direct intent is difficult, so the concept of indirect intent is applied: a person “should have foreseen” what was happening. Objective signs of complicity include: rapid transfer of funds received, failure to report to the bank about receiving a suspicious transfer, and deletion of correspondence with the requester.
In addition to facing criminal charges, there may also be financial repercussions. Under Law 115-FZ, banks are required to block any account suspected of the “receive—instant send” scheme. Such preventive blocking means that regardless of any further punishment, you may be deprived of access to banking services for an extended period.
The Scale of the Problem: Increase in Cases and Typical Victims
As of 2025, there are already several hundred such cases. The majority of the subjects are ordinary people: pensioners, mothers on maternity leave, students who “felt sorry” for the requester. Now, they find themselves under investigation, with frozen accounts and the real prospect of prison.
How to Protect Yourself: Advice from Banks and Lawyers
Experts unanimously agree: if an unexpected sum of money is credited to your card, do not return it directly at the request of the caller. No matter how much you want to help the mistaken sender, it’s better to send them to their bank to retrieve funds sent in error. Moreover, if you receive a strange transfer, you must immediately contact your bank. The best option is to visit a branch in person and formalize a statement about the external payment of unknown origin. If that isn't possible, you should call the bank’s customer service or hotline, provide the date, amount, and sender of the transfer, and record the fact of your inquiry. This will protect you from being suspected of passive involvement in the laundering scheme.
- Do not return transferred funds directly to a stranger—you cannot be sure of their legal origin.
- Do not spend unexpected receipts until the nature of the funds has been clarified.
- Immediately call your bank and document your inquiry about receiving funds of unknown origin.
- In case of pressure or threats from the “sender”—immediately contact the police and provide recordings of calls or text communication.
A Global Perspective: Money Mules and the Fight Against Money Laundering
Schemes in which affected citizens become unwitting accomplices are prevalent worldwide. In international practice, such intermediaries are referred to as “money mules.” According to estimates by European banks, hundreds of millions of dollars are laundered annually through mule networks. The FBI, Europol, and other agencies around the world warn: even unintentional complicity in the movement of illegal funds carries the risk of criminal cases and financial penalties. For investors and all participants in the financial market, this serves as a reminder of the importance of strict adherence to AML procedures and vigilance when transferring money. New money laundering schemes in Russia reiterate the necessity for every participant in the financial system to approach unexpected monetary transfers with heightened caution.
