ScamsNOW!
The SCARS Institute Magazine about Scam Victims-Survivors, Scams, Fraud & Cybercrime
Mule Addresses
By David Maimon, Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University and Saba Aslanzadeh, PhD Student in in Computer Science, Georgia State University
What Are ‘Mule Addresses’? Criminologists Explain How Vacant Properties Serve As Depots For Illegal Online Purchases
Online shopping isn’t just a convenient way to buy batteries, diapers, computers, and other stuff without going to a brick-and-mortar store.
Many Americans also use the internet to quietly acquire illegal, fake, and stolen items. Guns, prescription drugs no doctor has ordered and checks are on this long list, as well as cloned credit cards, counterfeit passports, and phony driver’s licenses.
Because buyers and sellers alike realize that the authorities can detect illegal online transactions, criminals and their customers prefer covert online platforms that protect user anonymity, such as Tor, or encrypted messaging applications like Telegram and WhatsApp. Buyers and sellers also use digital wallets and cryptocurrencies to further conceal their identities.
As scholars of high-tech crime, we were eager to solve a riddle. Having these items shipped to the buyers’ homes or offices would make it easy for authorities to catch them. So how do people who buy these illegal items maintain their anonymity when they take possession of items they purchased on the dark web?
They mostly use vacant residential properties, called “mule addresses” or “drop addresses.” Once the illegal goods or phony documents get delivered – presumably without the owners’ knowledge – to the doorstep of the uninhabited home, the buyer or a middleman picks it up. This practice makes it very hard to trace these transactions.
Penchant for Sharing
To discover where these items change hands, we took advantage of the inclination of some of the criminal vendors to share images on Telegram of the parcels they send, along with the illicit items.
They use this strategy to build their reputations, earn the trust of buyers, and market their services.
Not all users of online underground markets do this, but we still spotted thousands of packages delivered this way over a period of two years.
In one case, we found a photo of a forged or stolen check alongside the mailed envelope used for its delivery on a Telegram channel dedicated to trading stolen and counterfeit checks.
The label on the envelope bears not only the shipping date but also the Wyoming address where it was sent. Armed with this information, anyone can retrieve related details by searching online. We found an apartment complex at that address with several units for rent.
Guns, Drugs, and Rentals
We also found that criminal vendors use mule addresses as their sender address. In one example, we found a video, uploaded in April 2023, of an assault rifle shipped from an Arizona address. At the time, that property was for sale.
The video displays an assault rifle apparently shipped from that address after being purchased online on an underground gun market. At the time, that property was for sale.
We found a similar video documenting the punctual delivery of what we believe to be illegal drugs. Considering that the video has been circulating in illegal drugs markets that we monitor, it’s reasonable to assume that the package contains narcotics or prescription drugs.
The footage portrays a satisfied customer who has just gotten the drugs. We looked up the recipient’s address, which is discernible in the video.
It’s a property in North Las Vegas, Nevada, which was listed for sale at the time of delivery – although it seems to have later been sold. The anticipated delivery date, March 28, 2023, coincided with the day the package in the video was received.
One of the illegal digital marketplaces we identified is a hub for prescription- sales of OxyContin, Viagra, Adderall and Valium. It’s linked to an administrator who presides over several Telegram channels.
The administrator has shared photos on those channels that allowed us to see tracking numbers associated with packages they’d mailed. By collating the tracking numbers from April 20 to May 23, 2023, we compiled a comprehensive database of those addresses and the statuses of those properties when the packages were delivered.
We found that 72% of the 650 deliveries in this database were to properties listed for sale, and the rest were to properties unoccupied for other reasons. The average time that elapsed between a property listing and an illicit package being delivered there was nine days.
Be on guard
We haven’t yet learned of any criminals who were convicted of criminally using mule addresses to deliver illegal packages.
Because criminals take advantage of vacant residential properties listed for sale or rent by unsuspecting homeowners to protect their anonymity, we believe that it’s important for landlords and people who are selling or renting homes to protect themselves from these crimes of commerce.
Some of the same strategies that enhance safety in other regards can help, such as installing surveillance cameras and employing property managers.
A forged or stolen check alongside the envelope used to mail it to the person who bought it on the dark web. Screen capture by David Maimon, CC BY-NC-ND
An illegal firearm vendor uploaded a video of an assault rifle being shipped to a customer. Screen capture by David Maimon, CC BY-NC-ND
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
SCARS Resources:
- For New Victims of Relationship Scams newvictim.AgainstScams.org
- Subscribe to SCARS Newsletter newsletter.againstscams.org
- Sign up for SCARS professional support & recovery groups, visit support.AgainstScams.org
- Find competent trauma counselors or therapists, visit counseling.AgainstScams.org
- Become a SCARS Member and get free counseling benefits, visit membership.AgainstScams.org
- Report each and every crime, learn how to at reporting.AgainstScams.org
- Learn more about Scams & Scammers at RomanceScamsNOW.com and ScamsNOW.com
- Global Cyber Alliance ACT Cybersecurity Tool Website: Actionable Cybersecurity Tools (ACT) (globalcyberalliance.org)
- Self-Help Books for Scam Victims are at shop.AgainstScams.org
- Donate to SCARS and help us help others at donate.AgainstScams.org
- Worldwide Crisis Hotlines: International Suicide Hotlines – OpenCounseling : OpenCounseling
- Campaign To End Scam Victim Blaming – 2024 (scamsnow.com)
More:
- Check-Kiting Scheme – Scam Basics (romancescamsnow.com)
- Scammers And Their Tech Is Getting Better By The Day! (romancescamsnow.com)
- Loren Esse of Des Moines – Police Arrest A Money Mule (scamsnow.com)
- Why Scammers Don’t Give Up (scamsnow.com)
- Darknet markets generate millions in revenue selling stolen personal data, supply chain study finds (theconversation.com)
- Money Mules & Money Laundering (romancescamsnow.com)
- How cybercriminals turn paper checks stolen from mailboxes into bitcoin (theconversation.com)
- What are ‘mule addresses’? Criminologists explain how vacant properties serve as depots for illegal online purchases (theconversation.com)
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Statement About Victim Blaming
Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and not to blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and help victims avoid scams in the future. At times, this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims; we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.
These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens, and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.
Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org
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Psychology Disclaimer:
All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only
The information provided in this and other SCARS articles are intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.
Note about Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices have the potential to create psychological distress for some individuals. Please consult a mental health professional or experienced meditation instructor for guidance should you encounter difficulties.
While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.
Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.
Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here
If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair, please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.
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A Question of Trust
At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish. Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors’ experience. You can do Google searches, but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.
