Psychologist on why teens become money mules

In June 2025, the State Duma passed a bill introducing criminal liability for transferring bank cards to third parties for a reward. Now participants in fraud schemes face large fines, correctional labor, or imprisonment.

According to Sber analysts, a year ago there were at least 2 million money mules in Russia. Most often, they were children aged 14–16.

A money mule is a person who provides their personal data, documents, bank cards, or accounts for carrying out illegal financial transactions.

Psychological reasons for teenage involvement

Psychologist Rodion Chepalov notes that teenagers are especially vulnerable due to age-related psychological factors. At 14–16 years old, a sense of adulthood, the need for autonomy and recognition are actively forming, while critical thinking and the ability to foresee consequences are not yet sufficiently developed.

Fraudsters take advantage of this by offering simple and «adult» roles: «help out,» «lend a hand,» «it»s just a technical transfer,« »you«re not breaking any rules.» To a teenager, this sounds like trust and social significance, not a crime.

In practice, there are cases where a teenager sincerely believed they were a victim: they were written to allegedly from an online store, offered «temporary work,» asked to receive money «for a couple of hours,» and then the scheme unfolded automatically. Another typical example is appealing to fear and urgency: «if you don»t help now, your account will be blocked,« »another person will suffer.« The teenager acts impulsively, not out of malicious intent, but out of anxiety and a desire to be helpful.

Effective prevention methods

Prevention works poorly in the form of dry prohibitions and abstract warnings. The inscription «do not hand over your card» psychologically loses to live scenarios. Much more effective are methods that allow a teenager to «experience» the situation in a safe form. These can be short documentaries, social videos, theater productions, interactive videos, or even animations that show step by step: what the first message looks like, how the teenager feels, what happens next, what legal and life consequences arise. When a person sees not a slogan but a chain of events with real comments from lawyers and psychologists, awareness kicks in.

It is also important to teach teenagers skills to resist pressure: to verbalize typical fraudster phrases, analyze them in lessons or training sessions, rehearse responses like «I can»t,« »I need to consult,« »I don«t accept money.» In psychology, this is called refusal training and reducing automatic reactions. The more such rehearsals, the higher the chance that in a real situation the teenager will not act «on autopilot.»

What to do if a child has already become a money mule

If a child has already unintentionally become a money mule, it is important not to start with accusations. Guilt and fear only increase dependence on external influence. First — documenting the facts, consulting a lawyer, then psychological work on anxiety, suggestibility, and the need for approval. In many cases, it is indeed possible to prove that the teenager acted as a victim of manipulation, but this requires early appeals and competent support.

Overall, protecting teenagers is not only a matter of law but also of psychological literacy. As long as children act unconsciously and impulsively, no formal warnings will work. Awareness, practice, and visual experience are the only sustainable way to reduce the risks of involvement.