DD has had large sums of money put into her account

[MummyInTheNecropolis]

I noticed she had been spending a lot recently, and when questioned she said it was money she had saved up. I was suspicious so opened her bank statement today and she has received £500 from someone I’ve never heard of, in 6 different payments all made in the same day. She claims this must have been paid to her by mistake and she lied because she knew she shouldn’t be spending it. I don’t believe her, but I can’t think why someone would be paying her this amount?

I am planning to phone the bank but I don’t think they’ll be able to tell me much. I wondered if anyone here might have any ideas? DD is 14.

Is she ‘streetwise’?
I’d be worried about drug dealing etc.
I would phone the police ASAP.

So she's spending it even though she thinks she shouldn't?

So she knows it's hers & it's OK to spend, or she thinks that you'll pay it back if necessary?

First thing that came to mind is what others have said, drugs and county lines.

I hope I'm wrong Op but it's a known thing for them to target teens and it's any teens, not just ones that come from families with lower incomes.

Good luck OP. There's some horrible people out there but she's safer now you are involved. Ask social care for advice if needed, their multi agency safeguarding hub will have the knowledge to help you.

You really need to be acting now. Banks have lines open all weekend for fraud etc. You need to check everything on her phone

I would 100 percent involve the police. If it's nothing no harm done but if it's not you will need th

Do you believe your daughter is telling the truth ?

OP, this money didn't just land in your dd's bank account. There is a reason why she won't tell you where it's from. You need to find out what's going on.

You're crazy to worry about her getting into trouble with the police when she is very obviously in much bigger trouble already. The police will help to protect her from whoever is exploiting her, that's their job. It's your job to keep your daughter safe.

I’m fairly sure it can’t be drugs, she hardly ever goes out without me, I can’t see how she’d hide it that well? Also, do drug dealers use normal bank transfers to pay?

Being used as a money mule seems the most likely explanation. Teenagers are often targeted through social media.

I strongly believe you should be telling DD that you are worried for her, and need the police to investigate and to help protect her.

But I understand why you are worried that this will cause trouble.
What about calling NSPCC for advice?

I honestly believe that your DD needs protection from something worrying.

Hope you get to the bottom of it OP. I would tell her you need to contact the police to see if she’ll open up to you. I’d be more worried about grooming than drugs tbh.

She could be involved in money laundering or anything. Moving money through other people's bank accounts is a regular thing, and she us so naive that she is spending it instead.

Or it could be totally innocent.

When are you going to sit her down and be very very clear that she either speaks or you call the police to ask them to investigate because you're worried. You need to act now.

If she is involved in drugs then she needs out now. If she has been coerced into money laundering but has spent it then she needs help now. If she is doing cam work then she needs help now.

Police or she tells you the truth about where the money's from.

Then police.

They won't say they're drug dealers, it may well be doing a favour for a friend of a friend - but it will amount to the same thing.

Don't stand by and watch this, if you can't get a straight answer from your daughter - you'll need to either go through the bank or police as the money isn't hers (she has no explanation for what she has done to get it!).

When you say you didn't recognise the person making the payment have you googled? Lots of teens are getting extra money from something called (I think) Only fans? They send people pics in return for money I would insist she tells you more x

a similar thing happened to the 16 year old daughter of my mum’s friend. it turned out she had been chatting to a man she’d met on twitter who was paying her to be his ‘sugar baby.’ she’d send photos and videos and then the man would send her money.

The police won’t be investigating her- they will be investigating to check no one is harming her. Speak to them today - they fact that you don’t know where the cash has come from is enough.

"I’m worried about involving the police in case she gets in trouble"
She's 14. I think the police will be looking at her as a victim.

it won’t be onlyfans, you have to submit a passport or driving license proving your 18 to be allowed to post. but it could be something very similar.

I teach in a school where our students are very vulnerable to being taken advantage of by gangs. Something nefarious is almost definitely going on, could be credit card fraud, could be grooming, and so on.
The one thing I want to reassure you about is that the police are not interested in your 14 year old daughter as anything other than a potential victim.

Not likely to be county lines, at her level she wouldn't be getting much, its more likely to be shes being used as a money mule or something sex based but probably the first.
She wont get in trouble from the police shell be treated as a vulnerable victim. You seriously need to contact them now!

Is she a money mule? Being used by drug dealers or terrorists to launder money through her account?

Could she have a financial domination account (findom) on IG or Twitter?

I'd be massively concerned about webcam work. Easy to do as a teen. She would have told you if random money had appeared and she'd no idea where from...I'd be telling her I was calling the police and doing it but hoping it was enough for her to explain.

She is having a nap at the moment (we had a busy day.) When she wakes up I am going to sit her down and tell her that i have to contact the police as I am very worried about her. I will tell her that I also need to contact the school and let them know what is happening. If that doesn’t get her talking then I will have to follow through, although I am hoping that the idea will be enough to make her open up to me.