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.

Phone the bank while she is asleep to get a step ahead. You already know she isn't being honest about where it came from.

This is money laundering at the minimum.
She needs to be honest and get out. This will probably need police input too

You do say your daughter rarely goes anywhere without you....as a teen climbing out of the windows was a regular thing when we wanted to get drunk on the park all night! Do you honestly know that she is at home all the time you think she is?

She is having a nap at the moment (we had a busy day.)

Is she ill? None of my teens need naps in the day, not really ever. Is she staying up at night in her room online? Worth bearing in mind.

@LisaxMarie

Money laundered use bank accounts of money mules. Thats not an unusual thing.

It could be cam work. They may or may not know she is underage.

It could be totally innocent. It could be a payment into the wrong account.

The OP wont know without someone investigating it and when a child is possibly at risk, you call the police

You know, all of the above might be true, and it might not, but sheer panic will not help and might make the situation worse, it might close the girl down, or fighten her into running away. I would keep a beady eye, maybe turn of wifi till I could ring the bank and take some proper advice.

Drugs, sex or money laundering. Doubt it is the last as the sums are so small.

The police came and spoke to parents at our school. There had been a gang operating on the transport network targeting the grammar school kids to launder money for them.

OP I'm sorry you've got this worry and hope you get to the bottom of it soon. Are you with her father? Could he have given it to her?

On a side note I am grateful for the info on Money Mules, had never heard of it and will be checking my young teens' banks statements more closely in future.

@AlexaShutUp

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.

Absolutely. The point of telling the police is to protect her.

I cannot reiterate this enough. She is being exploited. She is not in trouble.

How far back have you gone in her bank account?
Is this a one time thing for sure?

What a worry op. Hope it turns out to be less concerning than some of the suggestions.

You're right to be concerned, OP. I would be extremely worried about her. If she's spending the money instead of transferring it out again, it would seem she's being paid for something rather than helping launder it. What about previous bank statements? Can you get hold of those?

Call the police. Immediately

Qwicky makes a good point about the napping. It isn't normal teenage behaviour. Are you sure she is sleeping right now? If so, I'd be wondering about what she is doing at night.

Involve the police now. This is potentially a massive safe-guarding risk

Is the benefactor a company name or individual's name? I strongly suspect it is as above - most likely web cam work or something like that. If it were my dd, there's no way she'd be having a nap until I'd got to the bottom of it OP. In the kindest possible way, you need to take action immediately.

Hope you get some answers OP

It's very bizarre 🤔

Have you called the fraud line? They will be able to give you details about the transactions. Then I’d be calling the police if they can’t give you answers.

If I had to guess I'd say it was web cam type photos videos on line. Wake her up and give her the third degree.

@Helenluvsrob

This is money laundering at the minimum. She needs to be honest and get out. This will probably need police input too

Is it money laundering day on MN today?

This is the second time in the past few minutes that I've asked on a thread how that works - how would giving someone money work as money laundering?

It does sound like something dodgy is going on, I'd wake her up and say you're going to speak to the police now and she needs to come clean on why the money was transferred

She hasn’t got a phone or tablet up there has she? I’d be concerned she’s covering tracks and contacting others. Strict screen control from now on op. Good luck.

I hope you get some answers, it sounds very odd.

You are responsible for your daughters welfare, you need to find out what’s going on, 500 pounds in six different payments, if it was my daughter I would be contacting the police pronto, not asking advice on Mumsnet, what are you waiting for, she’s a child for gods sake, I’d be beside myself

She’s not having a nap.

Have you been through her social media / bank accounts / emails?