CAMS · Question #604
When investigating an AML event, which techniques would be used to investigate suspected mule accounts? (Select Three.)
The correct answer is A. Determine if the suspected accounts are being accessed by a common person, telephone B. Reconcile the stated purpose of the account with actual transaction history and compare with E. Establish the frequency with which the funds are moved in and out of the accounts. Investigating suspected mule accounts requires identifying shared access patterns, verifying account purpose against actual activity, and analyzing fund movement frequency.
Question
When investigating an AML event, which techniques would be used to investigate suspected mule accounts? (Select Three.)
Options
- ADetermine if the suspected accounts are being accessed by a common person, telephone
- BReconcile the stated purpose of the account with actual transaction history and compare with
- CSubmit a suspicious activity report to the national financial intelligence unit.
- DReview the account history and determine if there are previous payments to charity accounts.
- EEstablish the frequency with which the funds are moved in and out of the accounts.
- FContact the appropriate law enforcement agency and report the account activity.
How the community answered
(59 responses)- A76% (45)
- C14% (8)
- D3% (2)
- F7% (4)
Why each option
Investigating suspected mule accounts requires identifying shared access patterns, verifying account purpose against actual activity, and analyzing fund movement frequency.
Determining whether multiple suspected accounts are accessed by the same person or telephone number helps establish that one individual is coordinating a network of mule accounts, a core indicator of organized money laundering.
Reconciling the stated purpose of an account against its actual transaction history reveals whether the account is being misused, which is a fundamental technique for identifying mule accounts used in layering schemes.
Submitting a suspicious activity report is a reporting obligation that occurs after an investigation is complete, not an investigative technique applied during the review of suspected mule accounts.
Reviewing payments to charity accounts is not a standard investigative technique specific to identifying mule account behavior, as mule accounts are typically characterized by rapid in-and-out fund movement rather than charitable payments.
Establishing the frequency with which funds are moved in and out of accounts identifies rapid fund cycling - a hallmark behavior of mule accounts used to obscure the origin of illicit proceeds.
Contacting law enforcement is an escalation or referral action taken after sufficient evidence is gathered, not an analytical technique used during the investigation itself.
Concept tested: Mule account investigation techniques in AML
Source: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Methodsandtrends/Money-mules.html
Topics
Community Discussion
No community discussion yet for this question.