WIREDGOV

Schools across the country will introduce anti-fraud lessons to protect children from financial exploitation and prevent them from becoming ‘money mules’. 

Specialist classes will provide children aged 10 to 18 and their parents with guidance on how to spot warning signs, as well as educating them on the methods criminals use to target teenagers. 

Victims are often coerced by criminals who offer seemingly legitimate job opportunities to make quick cash, getting them to transfer funds into their bank account and then out to another, in return for a small percentage. In reality, they are unsuspecting victims targeted by fraudsters to move their dirty money around and evade law enforcement. 

This can have devastating impacts on young people, who could face prosecution and have their bank accounts blocked indefinitely. It can lead to serious consequences in the future such as struggling to secure student loans, difficulties finding employment and accessing housing. 

The rollout comes amidst a rising trend known as ‘money muling’, with recent figures showing there were 22,000 incidents reported in 2025. One in 5 cases involved someone under the age of 21. Fraud generally is rising sharply across the country and now constitutes 47% of all surveyed crime in England and Wales, with more than 1 in 20 youngsters aged 16 to 24 becoming victims of fraud.  

Police and safeguarding teams are also increasingly receiving reports from young people of financially motivated sexual extortion – known as ‘sextortion’. This sees someone forced into paying or moving money after a criminal has threatened to release sexual or intimate images of them. It is a rising trend carried out by criminal groups based outside the UK. 

The new teaching resources deliver on a key commitment in the Fraud Strategy and have been offered in addition to the new RSHE curriculum, published earlier this year. It sets out actions the government, law enforcement and industry are taking to dismantle criminal networks, bring offenders to justice and protect the public. 

Lord Hanson, Minister for Fraud said:  

Financial exploitation is an abhorrent crime and can have devastating impacts on a young person’s future.  

This can include having bank accounts blocked or restricted, making it harder for them to secure a student loan or even a mortgage in the future. 

Prevention is a key part of our Fraud Strategy, which is why we have rolled out these lessons to children and parents to help increase awareness and reduce the chances of them being exploited by scammers.

James Simmonds-Read, National Prevention Programme Manager for The Children’s Society said: 

These resources give young people something they told us they need: a clear understanding of what financial exploitation is, where to go for help and reassurance that if it happens to them, it is never their fault. 

Lessons alone won’t stop financial exploitation, but helping young people recognise it and know where to turn is an important part of protecting them. 

The extra guidance for teachers, parents and carers is also crucial to enabling them to spot the warning signs and get children help as early as possible.

The government-funded lessons have been designed by specialist police officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, in collaboration with the PSHE Association. Teachers can use these resources in RSHE lessons and will help develop pupils’ knowledge of what money laundering and financial exploitation is, and how to report it to the right person. 

Guidance will also be issued to teachers, parents and carers about the different types of scams that criminals are using, how to spot warning signs and where to access specialist support if needed. 

This vital education tool sits outside of the statutory curriculum and comes as part of the government’s Fraud Strategy. 

By investing £250 million to strengthen the fight against fraud and launching a new Online Crime Centre, the government is bringing together police and industry, to shut down the avenues that fraudsters exploit, wherever in the world they might be.   

Monica Perry, PSHE Association Subject Specialist said:  

Children and young people are increasingly encountering scams, fraud, money laundering and other forms of financial exploitation. These lessons support schools to deliver key safeguarding education about these issues in a preventative, age-appropriate and empowering way. 

Developed to meet the new RSHE requirements, the activities ensure pupils understand what financial exploitation is, the laws surrounding it and how to seek support.

Chief Superintendent Joe Anthony, City of London Police’s Head of National Cyber Crime Team and NPCC lead for Fraud and Cyber Protect, said:  

We support this work created by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit.  

Fraudsters increasingly target young people of all ages, making early prevention activity more important than ever. Working with regions and local forces, the National Fraud and Cyber Protect network has come together to deliver vital advice on fraud, cyber crime and financial exploitation. 

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with high levels of engagement both in person and online. We will continue to work with the Home Office and other partners to equip young people with the tools they need to protect themselves with initiatives like this playing a vital role in building safer, more resilient communities.

Regional Assistant Chief Constable to the South West Police Collaborations, Andy Hill said: 

We know that criminals seeking to financially exploit people online are targeting children as young as 10 through gaming platforms, social media and messaging apps. Developed by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) and endorsed by the PSHE Association, this educational programme provides vital, age-appropriate learning to help young people recognise and understand the risks of financial exploitation in a safe and supportive environment.  

Prevention starts with education. By giving young people the knowledge and confidence to recognise suspicious approaches, stay safe online and speak to trusted adults, we can help protect them from becoming victims of crime.

I am proud to see SWROCU leading this important work, helping to protect communities from the devastating impact of fraud.