The profession of 'drop'

Scammers, in order to steal funds from citizens' bank cards and cover their tracks, devise increasingly sophisticated schemes of deception and involve straw individuals – mules – in their criminal activities.

Mules are the "lowest" link in the criminal chain. Scammers open bank accounts in the names of mules, through which they transfer and then cash out stolen funds.

Belarusian citizens are often offered to travel to the Russian Federation, open a bank account in their name, and provide its details to third parties for a reward. However, trusting individuals do not suspect that they are becoming accomplices to criminals.

To avoid becoming a mule:

- do not agree to offers of easy money that seem too good to be true;

- be cautious with strangers online, especially if they ask for your help with financial transactions;

- do not transfer money to specified details at the request of unknown persons;

- never hand over your bank card to strangers.

Remember, ignorance of the law does not exempt from responsibility.

Article 222 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus provides for criminal liability for the dissemination, for mercenary motives, of bank payment card details or authentication data that are in a person's illegal possession and through which access to accounts, electronic or virtual wallets is possible. For committing this crime, punishment is established in the form of a fine, or correctional labor, or restriction of liberty, or imprisonment.