A 'money mule' is someone who transfers stolen money on behalf of criminals through their own bank account.
Criminals will contact a person, either on the internet (via social media, a fake job advertisement) or in person, and offer to pay them for use of their bank account to receive stolen money and transfer it to another account.
Most of the money being transferred is stolen money and is used to fund further criminal activity such as terrorism and fraud.
Criminals usually target vulnerable people who are in financial difficulties as these people may see being a money mule as an opportunity to make money.
Once a person has transferred the money successfully there is a high chance that the criminals will want to repeat the process and may use intimidation if someone does not comply.
It is a criminal offence to let someone use your bank account for this activity and you could face a prison sentence of up to 14 years if caught. You could also have your account closed and find it difficult to access credit.
If someone asks you to use your bank account, report it to your local police force. Please see the link in Related Information for contact details.
Please also see the related topic, County Lines, in Related Information.
'County lines' is a term used to describe networks of gangs and organised crime groups, who use children, young people and vulnerable adults to carry out illegal activity on their behalf.
This criminal exploitation is known as 'county lines' as young children travel across counties and use dedicated mobile phone 'lines' to supply drugs.
As well as the storage and supply of drugs, gangs also use children for the movement of cash proceeds (money mules) and to secure the use of dwellings (commonly referred to as 'cuckooing').
Criminal gangs groom children into trafficking their drugs for them with promises of money, friendship and status. Once they've been drawn in, children are often controlled using threats, violence and sexual abuse. These children can then become trapped in criminal exploitation and feel as if they have no choice but to continue doing what the criminals want.
What are signs of criminal exploitation and county lines?
The police work collaboratively with other forces and regional organised crime units to build intelligence, tackle the demand for drugs, ensure disruption of county lines activity, protect the vulnerable and carry out enforcement activity.
What to do if you have concerns
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You should speak to your child's teacher to start with to let them know of the situation and what your child has told you. It is important to remain calm but firm when approaching the subject.
Ask the teacher at school if they have noticed any changes in your child's behaviour, as bullied children are often withdrawn and quiet which can affect their overall school performance.
The school will have policy in place for dealing with bullying and the teachers will have experience in dealing with such, therefore they should be able to suggest the best course of action. The websites listed in Related Information offer help and support for parents and children about the best way to approach bullying.
You should speak to the Head Teacher or Head of Year in this situation. It is important that this kind of incident is dealt with carefully but also professionally. The school will be able to advise on how to resolve the situation, measures could include observing lessons or if possible moving class to a different teacher. It may be worth speaking to your child about the bullying and how they would like the issue to be resolved.
Please see the websites in the Related Information section that offer specific advice in this situation.
Chatrooms can be a fun pastime for your children. However, there are dangers involved with using chatrooms that both parents and children need to be aware of.
Some people use the internet and chatrooms as a method to gain contact with children and subsequently enter into inappropriate and illegal relationships, as they can create false identities and remain anonymous. They may use a method known as 'grooming', which involves using deceiving techniques build a relationship, trust and emotional connection with a child or young person so they can manipulate, exploit and abuse them. This may include creating different personas or posing as a child themselves. There is a government website which gives a more comprehensive overview of this activity and has a version for parents and children which sets out the possible dangers of communicating with strangers online and how to make chatrooms a safer place to be - Thinkuknow, see Related Information for that and other helpful websites.
A few basic tips to be aware of when using internet chatrooms are;-
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Jessie & Friends: online safety education for 4-7 year olds
Thinkuknow - online contact and staying safe
Internet Matters - helping parents keep their children safe online
NSPCC - online safety advice
NSPCC - talking to your child about online safety
CEOP - are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
Cyber Aware - improve your online security
UK Safer Internet Centre
Action Fraud
National Cyber Security Centre
Details of registered sex offenders are kept on a register for the Police only, it is not for public access. If you have any concerns over the activities of a local resident then you should speak to your local police force.
The Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme (Sarah's law) allows members of the public to make a request that the police investigate a person. Anyone who looks out for the welfare of a child can make an enquiry. This can include parents, carers, guardians, extended family, friends and neighbours.
Disclosures however, will only be given to the person best placed to protect the particular child or children and who needs to know the details in order to keep the child safe, usually a parent, carer or guardian.
Once an application for an investigation has been made the police will require the applicant to specify the grounds for the investigation and the nature of the relationship between the applicant and the child, the applicant and the individual and the individual and the child. The applicant will be invited to an interview with the police where matters will be enquired into further.
Whilst the police have a duty to explore the request, there is no requirement for the police to disclose any information and all requests for information about named individuals will be discussed by the police, probation and safeguarding children staff in order to determine whether the release of information will provide additional protection for the child(ren ) in question.
If information is disclosed, the applicant will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement and be subject to sanctions should any unlawful disclosure be made. See link in related information for more details.
There are various different types of smoke alarm, these are widely available and can cost as little as £5, depending on the type of detection it uses.
If you or a family member have a condition that may prevent or delay escape if there is a fire, you may need a specialist alarm system. Your local Fire and Rescue Service will be able to advise you further, please see the link in related information for your local Fire and Rescue Service contact details.
Ionisation
Optical
Combined
Whichever model of smoke alarm you chose, look out for one which has a British Standard Kitemark symbol which indicates that the detector is an approved model.
Some fire services offer a home fire safety visit and provide free smoke alarms to the elderly and vulnerable, contact your local fire service for more details.
The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme gives members of the public a formal mechanism to make enquires about an individual who they are in a relationship with or who is in a relationship with someone they know where there is a concern that the individual may be violent towards their partner. This information may be disclosed via a request from a member of the public (Right to Ask) or be initiated by the police where a proactive decision is made to disclose information in order to protect a potential victim (Right to Know).
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Grooming can occur face to face or over the internet and involves any communication with a child in order to commit a sexual offence. The individual does this by forming an emotional bond with the child to gain their trust - this can then lead to the offence of child sexual exploitation (CSE) being committed.
If a child is being groomed they may display unusual behaviours which you need to look out for; these may include -
If you are concerned about a child, you can contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or you can report it directly to them via the following link -
For further support and advice on grooming and CSE, please see the links in related information.
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NSPCC - report child abuse
CEOP - are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
Jessie & Friends: online safety education for 4-7 year olds
NSPCC - grooming
Internet Matters - online grooming: facts and advice
Barnardo's - child sexual exploitation
NSPCC - child sexual exploitation
Thinkuknow - online safety advice
Spotting the signs of child abuse can be difficult. Children might not want to tell anyone, or they may not even be aware it is happening.
If you are unsure, the best thing to do is talk - to the child, to a teacher or another responsible adult. It is always helpful to get someone else's perspective.
Symptoms that may be cause for concern include;
If you have noticed any of the above and are unsure whether to report, do not wait until you are certain. You should contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 and a counsellor will then be able to assess the situation before offering further advice.
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