One-third of Irish adults 18-34 would consider becoming money mules, study finds

Fraud Smart, the fraud-awareness arm of the Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, reported that €7 million was laundered through money-mule accounts between June 2025 and June 2026. The survey revealed that 44% of Irish adults aged 18-34 have either been approached or know someone who has been approached to move illicit funds, a rise of 24% from the prior year. When asked about personal willingness, 37% of 18-24-year-olds and 35% of 25-34-year-olds said they would consider the role for payment, with men nearly twice as likely as women to respond affirmatively.

An Garda Síochána highlighted that economic hardship and newcomer status increase susceptibility, and that recruitment often occurs via seemingly legitimate job ads or online messages. Courts have begun seeing a surge in cases, with judges and defence lawyers noting young offenders frequently cite inexperience as an excuse, despite clear legal consequences such as prison, fines, or loss of future banking access. Compliance expert Michael Kavanagh warned that as criminals shift to digital payments, recruitment tactics are becoming more sophisticated and disguised as employment opportunities.