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Proactive mule account detection

Identify money laundering activity and proactively detect mule accounts before the funds are moved. Mule Account Detection can help mitigate financial, reputational, and regulatory risk.

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Problem overview

Mule accounts play a critical role in the fraud supply chain infrastructure and are a mechanism to cash out fraudulent transactions, launder money, and support criminal operations. Money mules come in many forms, each with different goals and behaviors that require unique approaches to detect. In addition to AML for AO and ATO, BioCatch’s Mule Account Detection detects sold accounts, accomplices, and misled mules. These personas often go undetected with standard fraud detection measures.

Traditional transaction-monitoring solutions also tend to identify mules only after the critical moment of payment, wire, or transfer. According to a Forrester report on EFM and AML, key stakeholders have reported a drastic increase in global investigation time year over year. This has led to increased operational costs to investigate, report, and shutter money laundering accounts. Traditional solutions are simply not enough.

Learn how Mule Account Detection uses behavioral intelligence to proactively detect these accounts and unique personas before the critical moment.

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Money mules on the rise

90 %+

Percentage of money mule transactions directly linked to cybercrime

78 %

Increase in money mule activity among persons under 21

33 %

Percentage of financial institutions that cite a lack of resources to control
mule activity

79 %

Percentage of confirmed mule accounts that were highly active 90 days prior to an incoming payment

How BioCatch detects mule accounts

Mule Account Detection is optimized to identify money laundering accounts by analyzing thousands of features during online banking sessions. The solution can adapt and react in real time based on the fraudster's behavior. Below are a few of the behavioral sectors our machine learning models observe.

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High Data familiarity

The solution analyzes login activity as many mule accounts are often genuine account holders, therefore the data will be highly familiar.

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Behavioral anomalies

The solution looks for anomalies from mouse activity, typing patterns, navigation preferences, and platform choice.

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Activity trend changes

The solution monitors activity changes, such as frequent log-ins or password resets prior to an incoming payment.

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The Emerging Case 
for Proactive Mule Detection

Every new or undiscovered mule account creates multiple risks for financial institutions. There is a growing need for proactive and preventative technology to detect mule accounts due to changes in the reimbursement models. Mule Account Detection can help by detecting money laundering accounts before the payment has been sent.

Access the latest research to learn what leading banks expect for future rates of mule activity, current approaches to managing the problem, and how they are mobilizing to address it.

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Rectangle 2890
Additional fraud + AML 
use cases (FRAML)

The account peddler

Buying and selling of established bank accounts is a common tactic for money laundering teams. Learn more about how the BioCatch models use machine learning to detect new user behavior on existing accounts.

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The accomplice

Catching the accomplice decreases illegal operations and reduces criminal growth. Learn more about how BioCatch detects willing participants and prevents converted accounts from laundering money.

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The misled mule

Mitigating misled mules can protect financial institutions and their customers from unknowingly breaking the law. Learn more about how BioCatch identifies activity trend changes from genuine users to stop involuntary money laundering activity.

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Identity theft

Early detection is critical when preventing money laundering activity. Learn more about how BioCatch protects against new account fraud and proactively prevents money laundering criminals from infiltrating financial institutions.  

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Credential stuffing

Detecting credential theft and account break ins can prevent the use of victim accounts for money laundering purposes. Learn more about how BioCatch uses behavioral intelligence to increase customer protection while reducing risk and friction.

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Join us for a 30-minute deep dive with a BioCatch expert to learn the latest tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) fraudsters use to scam your customers
and harm your brand.

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