Panda Software has issued a public warning via a press release in which it informs the public of an increasing online money laundering phenomenon that can turn them into "mules". Panda explains that the term is used as Internet lingo to refer to persons participating in money laundering operations. Such participation is rewarded with commissions and the financial aspect is incentive enough to convince the users to handle third party money, depositing them into personal bank accounts and facilitating their further transfer to various accounts.

"The increase in cyber-crime has led criminals into an aggressive recruitment drive for mules on the Internet. Their preference is for normal users who are not related to any type of organized crime. This is because, in the event of an investigation, one of the prime targets of the authorities is the person laundering the money, and therefore the more distant the link between the mule and criminals, the more difficult it will be able to trace the latter," reads the Panda Software press release.

Panda Software has revealed that, while monitoring spammed email traffic and malicious Websites, it has identified an increase in the online activities related to money laundering and is advising users to steer clear of such schemes and to protect their personal data.

"Laundering money for cyber-crooks can have very serious consequences for users. Bear in mind that the mule is, to all intents and purposes, a scapegoat. They are laundering the profits of Internet crime, and this is a jailable offence," declared Luis Corrons, director of PandaLabs.