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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Jess Clark and Alex Hern

‘I felt stupid and embarrassed’: victim of ‘Hi Mum’ fraud on WhatsApp lost £1,600

WhatsApp Meta Valerie UK Finance
Illustration
There were 414 reports of the ‘Hi Mum’ WhatsApp scam between January and May this year, costing victims £467,208, data shows. Illustration: Eleanor Shakespeare/the Guardian

Meta has been urged to crack down on the WhatsApp “Hi Mum” scam as figures show UK consumers have lost almost £500,000 to the impersonation fraud so far this year.

The scam involves a con artist posing as a friend or relative of the victim. They get in touch on WhatsApp or another messaging platform and gain the target’s trust before asking for money.

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