After posting her resume online, a Red Deer woman became the unwitting conduit for a money laundering scheme.
Red Deer RCMP are using her experience as a cautionary tale for job seekers looking for work through online resources.
Though they did not disclose her name, police said the woman posted her resume online and was approached by two companies that attempted to use her for money exchange transactions.
She was first hired by a company that claimed to operate out of the United States. She was offered a job working from home in a “customer service position.” They then asked her to use her personal bank account to funnel electronic money transfers.
A second company contacted her and asked her to do similar work. This company claimed to be based out of Russia and also approached her as a result of her online resume.
The woman reported the incident to the RCMP because of the suspicious nature of the requests.
She was not defrauded of any money.
Police would like to remind people to carefully screen any online employment offers they may receive, and not to get involved with a company until they are certain it is legitimate.
No legitimate business will ask an individual to use their personal bank account for company business.
According to an RCMP press release, money laundering mules are committing criminal offences and facilitating the destructive work of organized crime syndicates.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre website, www.antifraudcentre.ca, contains useful information on how victims can avoid getting unintentionally involved in criminal money laundering, including reports that criminals have targeted job seekers in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. to recruit them as money laundering mules.
Police said the criminals post or email fake job offers under a variety of titles, including customer service positions, or titles such as money transfer agent and payment processing agent.
They ask employees to receive large sums of money in their personal bank accounts and to then make international wire transfers of the money. They offer employees a small portion of the money as payment.