A bank account opened or hijacked purely to receive and quickly move stolen funds.
Drop accounts are the destinations for scam proceeds — sometimes opened with stolen identities, sometimes belonging to recruited money mules. Funds land and are swept out within minutes, breaking the trail.
If a “job” asks you to open a new account or use your own for company money, you are being recruited to provide a drop account.
Red flags
- Asked to open a new bank account for an employer
- Told to move funds out immediately after they arrive
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a drop account and a money mule?
The drop account is the bank account used to receive stolen funds; the money mule is the person who operates it. Sometimes they're the same recruited victim, sometimes an account opened with a stolen identity.