“The FBI’s top anti-cyber crime official today said the agency is planning a law enforcement action against so-called ‘money mules,’ individuals willingly or unwittingly roped into helping organized computer crooks launder money stolen through online banking fraud.

Patrick Carney, acting chief of the FBI’s cyber criminal section, said mules are an integral component of an international crime wave that is costing U.S. banks and companies hundreds of millions of dollars. He said the agency hopes the enforcement action will help spread awareness that money mules are helping to perpetrate crimes.

‘We want to make sure that public understands this is illegal activity and one of the best ways we can think of to give that message is to have some prosecutions,’ Carney said at a Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) symposium in Arlington, Va. today on combating commercial payments fraud. ‘We realize it’s not going to make the problem go away, but it should help raise awareness and send a signal.’”

(Source: FBI Promises Action Against Money Mules — Krebs on Security.)