骡子这种动物，在影视剧里出现通常都是驮着一堆货物跟着主人赶路的形象。大概是因为经常充当运输工具的缘故吧，到了网络时代，很多新生的说法都包含mule这个词。当然，有一些代表的意思是负面的。比如，我们今天要说的money mule（钱骡）。

A money mule is a person who transfers money and reships high value goods that have been fraudulently obtained in one country, usually via the Internet, to another country, usually where the perpetrator of the fraud lives. The term money mule is formed by analogy with drug mules.

钱骡指通过因特网将用诈骗等不正当手段从一国得来的钱款和高价值货物转移到另一国的人，款物接收国通常是诈骗份子的居住地。Money mule这个说法是在drug mule（药骡）的基础上衍生出来的。

The need for money mules arises because while a criminal in a developing country can obtain the credit card numbers, bank account numbers, passwords and other financial details of a victim living in the first world via the Internet through techniques such as malware and phishing, turning those details into money usable in the criminal's own country can be difficult. Many businesses will refuse to transfer money or ship goods to certain countries where there is a high likelihood that the transaction is fraudulent. The criminal therefore recruits a money mule in the victim's country who will receive money transfers and merchandise and resend them to the criminal in return for a commission.

钱骡的需求量上升是因为身处发展中国家的犯罪份子可以通过恶意软件和网络钓鱼获取居住在第一世界国家人的信用卡帐号、银行帐号、密码以及其他金融信息，但是要想把这些窃取到的信息变成犯罪分子所在国可用的钱款却很困难。很多商业网点都会拒绝将款物转移到诈骗交易高发的一些国家。因此，犯罪分子就在窃取金融信息的目标国招募一个钱骡，让其在当地接收款物转移然后再将款物转到犯罪分子手上，转移成功后钱骡会得到一笔佣金。

相关阅读

数字游民 digital nomad

游戏“工人” playbourer

短信诈骗 smishing

网络钓鱼 phishing

僵尸电脑 zombie computer

（英语点津 Helen 编辑）

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