Do not share any Contributions concerning Proceeds of Crime

‘Proceeds of crime’ is the term used for money or assets gained by criminals during their criminal activity, and money laundering. Examples of activities which involve the proceeds of crime online could include people being recruited as money mules to transfer illegally obtained money between bank accounts, discussion between criminals to arrange money laundering, and stolen personal information (via other criminal activity) offered for sale which can be used to commit or facilitate other types of fraud.

4D HYPE prohibits Contributions relating to the concealment, arrangement of, acquisition, possession and use of criminal property. And 4D HYPE prohibits Contributions that contain proceeds of crime offences, these offences are offences defined in and in reference to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (also in reference to all the aforementioned prohibitions, we also prohibit Contributions attempting, conspiring, encouraging, assisting, or aiding and abetting the commission and/or facilitation of these).

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of examples of prohibited proceeds of crime Contributions:

  • recruiting people as money mules e.g. listing of fake jobs that involve the transfer of illegally obtained money between bank accounts, including asking the victim to use their own account to help move the money, or to hand over control of their account.
  • tricking someone into becoming a money mule without them being aware that they have become involved in illegal activity.
  • enabling discussions between criminals to arrange money laundering
  • sharing stolen personal information
  • exploiting a victim’s trust e.g. using a romance scam to ask them to transfer money or hand over their account details
  • potentially engaging in illegal activity by actively responding to opportunities to make money e.g. by becoming a money mule, when the person is aware or complicit to varying degrees that they are potentially engaging in illegal activity.
  • dissemination and promoting the sale of stolen financial/personal credentials which can be used to launder funds therefore coordinating/arranging money laundering.

Fraud and financial services

According to the Office of National Statistics (Crime in England and Wales), fraud is the most frequently experienced crime in the UK. The risks of harms to individuals from fraud and financial services offences is broad. Financial loss to victims is not the only result of fraud; the harm can be multi-faceted and can have a serious impact on both mental and physical health. We have identified the following that are relevant to risks of harm in relation to these offences.

4D HYPE prohibits Contributions that,

  • contain fraud by false representation: to ‘dishonestly make a false representation’ where the person making such a representation intends to make a gain thereby (for themselves or others) or to cause another person loss (or expose them to the risk of loss);
  • contain fraud by abuse of position: It is an offence to commit fraud by way of a person dishonestly abusing their position;
  • make or supply articles for use in frauds: to make, adapt, supply or offer to supply any article, knowing that it is designed or adapted for use in the course of or in connection with fraud, or intending that it be used to commit, or assist in the commission of, fraud;
  • participating in fraudulent business carried on by sole trader etc.: a person to knowingly be a party to the carrying-on of a sole trader etc. business with the intent to defraud creditors of any person or for any other fraudulent purpose;
  • contain the contravention of the prohibition on carrying on regulated activity in the UK unless authorised or exempt;
  • contain false claims to be authorised or exempt for the purposes of carrying-on regulated activity and the contravention of restrictions on financial promotions;
  • make false or misleading statements, or creating false or misleading impressions about relevant investments.

And 4D HYPE prohibit Contributions that contain Fraud and financial services offences relating to the Fraud Act 2006 and Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (we also prohibit Contributions attempting, conspiring, encouraging, assisting, or aiding and abetting the commission of all the aforementioned prohibitions).

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of examples of prohibited Contributions in relation to Fraud and financial services:

  • pretending to be from a legitimate organisation (e.g. a financial institution, the NHS, lottery institution, solicitors, government officials or police officers) and request a payment or information from an individual, potentially via phishing.
  • via a goods and services contribution, where a product purchased by a user is not provided, or where provided, is different from the product advertised. For example, sale of fake holidays or counterfeit goods described as genuine, and ‘ghost broking’ which involves the sale of fake insurance policies e.g. by posing as known brands.
  • persuading users to invest in a financial product which does not exist (and so victims’ money is stolen) e.g. by posing as a trustworthy institution, advisor, or someone known to the a user; using pressurising tactics; or promising returns generally not available through mainstream products, for example by offering cryptocurrency.
  • where someone is under the impression that a 3rd party or the user transmitting Contributions is genuinely interested in building a relationship or friendship with them however this 3rd party or user transmitting Contributions will exploit this trust, typically asking for money or financial information.
  • fake job opportunities which may ask for payments to secure the role, or to gain personal information.
  • fake jobs that involve moving money between accounts, including asking someone to use their own account to help move the money, or to hand over control of their own account.
  • exploits someone’s trust to ask them to transfer money or hand over their account details.
  • responding to opportunities to make money which involve becoming a money mule and earning a commission.
  • supplying stolen identity or banking credentials, such as stolen identities, credit card details, or ‘how to’ guides and fake passports.
  • a company or individual posting an unauthorised financial promotion.
  • a company or individual making a false claim to be authorised as a broker e.g. potentially in order to defraud victims.

If you are logged in to your 4D HYPE account, you can submit a report for any Contributions that contain or may violate any of the prohibitions mentioned above. To submit a report directly from a Contributions page, click ‘Make report’, from the ‘Send report’ box select ‘?’ from the available report types.

If you don't have a 4D HYPE account, you can always submit a report here by selecting ‘Report Content Policy Violation’ from the drop down list under the ‘What do you need assistance with?‘ and then selecting ‘?’ from the drop down list under ‘Policy Violation: *’. When completing the form please include as much information as possible including the URL(s) where applicable of the Contributions within the ‘Details of inquiry: *’ box.