A warning has been issued as the number of 'hi mum' scams are increasing.
Which? consumer experts have issued a message warning that scammers are continuing to prey on parents. The cyber con originally started doing the rounds on messaging app WhatsApp but now it has been spotted on a number of text messages too.
The scammers target parents by impersonating their normally grown-up children and asking them to send money to help them out. This heartless scam comes at a time when hearing that a loved one is in need of some financial support to pay urgent bills may not be too much of a surprise.
READ MORE: Warning over Whatsapp scam as people conned out of hundreds
Which? reported that earlier this year Action Fraud warned it had received 1,235 reports of criminals posing as loved ones in need on WhatsApp between February 3 and June 21 this year, amounting to a total financial loss of £1.5m. As a result they issued advice on what the scams look like as well as how to avoid and report them.
What to look out for
Which? first became aware of this scam at the end of 2021 when a victim told them that a fraudster impersonating his sister had a convincing conversation with her which led to her transferring money for 'car repairs'. There have also been cases where fraudsters managed to access chat history and continued ongoing conversations to appear more convincing.
So far, there have been two examples of the scam moving over to text messages, from WhatsApp. One version of the scam reads: "Hello mum, I’ve broken my phone and I’m using a friends old one. I need to talk its urgent can you text me on WhatsApp on my new number please." This came from 07726760652.
Another example came from 07593295452 and read: "Hi mum I’m texting you off a friends phone I’ve smashed mine and their phones about to die, can you WhatsApp my new number please."
The message will typically start with saying the sender has lost their phone, it's damaged or they can't access it. The fraudsters will mostly go on to ask you for money by pointing out an imaginary difficult financial situation they’re in and playing on the close relationship you have to the person they’re impersonating.
How to avoid the scam
The bank details they give will probably not match those of your loved one and it's likely the scammer will tell you it's because they can't access their bank account. If you receive a message like this don't be tempted to transfer money immediately, enquire further by asking who specifically it is by name and by calling them or asking for a voice note.
WhatsApp has warned that its users should ensure that two-factor authentication is set up on their account and never to share their six-digit pin code with others.
How to report a scam
If you receive a suspicious text message, you can report it by forwarding it to 7726 before blocking the number. If you're concerned you've given money to a possible scam, contact your bank straight away and report the scam to Action Fraud. You can report scam messages on WhatsApp by opening up the WhatsApp chat with the unknown number and selecting Block and Report.
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