Comedian Paul Black reprises role as NatWest’s ‘Money Mule Man’ to educate on fraud
NatWest has once again teamed up with social media sensation Paul Black to raise awareness about fraud.
‘The Money Mule Man’ sees the Scottish comedian take to the streets of Edinburgh to try and trick tourists into moving funds for him – AKA money muling.
People – including Diana Vickers of 2008 X Factor fame – who were savvy enough to turn down Black’s offer were rewarded with £100, while those who took him up on the quick cash fix went home empty-handed.
The bank has stated that muling is on the rise and, according to Cifas, instances increased dramatically during the pandemic, with over 17,000 suspected cases involving 21-30-year-olds being recorded in 2020. Criminals use apps such as Snapchat and Instagram to recruit targets.
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A NatWest spokesperson said: “The message is simple: if approached to be a money mule, always say no. The consequences of becoming involved in this type of crime are severe – your bank account will be closed down and you could end up in prison.”
It’s not the first time the Glaswegian has starred in one of the bank’s campaigns. Earlier this year he took to the streets of Aberdeen and Dundee as an undercover ‘money mule’ recruiter.
Commenting on the campaign, Black said: “I hadn’t heard of money muling until I got involved in the campaign earlier in the year, but that’s the problem – people are letting criminals channel money through their bank accounts with no idea what they’re doing is actually against the law. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
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