Spike in Mule Accounts Reported in Kozhikode, Malappuram

### Quick Summary
– Over 500 mule accounts identified in Wayanad district,Kerala.
– Nationwide, approximately 8.5 lakh mule accounts were identified by RBI adn CBI two months ago; Indian Cyber crime Coordination Center estimates the count to exceed 20 lakh.
– Kerala police recorded suspicious transactions in 14,189 accounts in 2025; Ernakulam District reported the highest number with 6,107 mule accounts followed by Malappuram (2,090).
– Nearly 20% of bank accounts in Kerala flagged for re-KYC due to suspected misuse potential.
– Urban hotspots for mule accounts include cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, and Kolkata.
– Government agencies froze around 4.5 lakh mule bank accounts (mostly public sector banks) in efforts combating fraud in 2024.
– Artificial intelligence tools and enhanced KYC protocols are actively employed for detection of fraudulent activities alongside awareness campaigns by state police forces targeting vulnerable groups such as youngsters.

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### Indian Opinion Analysis
The increasing prevalence of mule accounts reflects a notable challenge to India’s cyber security and banking systems amid rising digital transactions nationwide. The extensive identification of over two million suspected dud bank entities underscores systemic vulnerabilities that fraudsters exploit-not just regionally but across major urban hubs as well as rural districts like Wayanad.

While advanced measures such as AI-driven detection tools are promising steps forward against financial crimes involving fraudulent laundering cyber scams evidences suggest gaps remaining prevention even w active efforts esp youth targeted-awareness axs programs need reinforce ` vigilance spanning integration genuine streamlined secure identities backend data promising sustainability solutions economic huge pop tech services pressures