Fresh warnings over latest ‘hi mum’ text scams where fraudsters ‘prey on our goodwill with emotive stories’ and trick parents into thinking their children are in trouble

Scam experts have issued new warnings over the latest “hi mom” messages in which scammers are “preying on our goodwill with emotional stories” and tricking parents into thinking their children are in trouble.

A highly effective phone scam plays on parents’ fears when scammers send a text message from another number pretending to be one of their children before asking them to send money.

One misspelled message sent from a standard UK phone number, seen by MailOnline this morning, read: “Mum, bad start to the day!” I dropped my phone, please text me here (07922221899) as soon as you see this!”

But this message is by no means an anomaly.

In recent weeks, several people have reported receiving similar messages and shared screenshots of incidents in which they fell victim to ruthless scammers.

Another message from a regular number said: “Mom, I’ve been stressed all morning. Please text urgently to 07510884785 xx’.

Meanwhile, a longer message said: “Hey mom, just letting you know I used to call on my phone like an idiot and the screen cracked really bad so I’m using the old phone for now, I would have called but I didn’t mind. I can’t hear on this phone, it’s very old, but luckily I have insurance, so I’ll buy a new one in about 2 days.”

Scammers appear to be adding a few misspellings and “kisses” to their messages, perhaps in an attempt to make the texts more informal or personal.

Other messages posted on social media included one that read: “Hi mom, this is my new number so save it please.” I had to update x’.

While another read: “Hi Mum, could you send me a text message to my temporary number 07510884785 asap?” Thank you very much! X.’

Data provided by MailOnline TSB shows that “friends and family scams” account for 53 per cent of all impersonation scams, with 93 per cent originating from WhatsApp.

The average loss to a scam victim is over £1,600.

Matt Hepburn, TSB’s anti-fraud spokesman, said: “Friends and scammers posing as relatives prey on our goodwill with emotional stories and requests for urgent financial help, simply to steal money meant for someone in our family.” loved ones.

“If you receive one of these messages, please contact the person directly before engaging in any further action, and certainly before making a payment, as it is highly likely this is a scam.”

Consumer group “Which?” said it was the first time they had heard reports of “devastating” scams in 2021, and warned that it had moved from WhatsApp to other channels such as text messages like the ones above.

Lisa Webb, What? A consumer law expert said: “It’s appalling to see the impact that the notorious ‘Hi Mum/Dad’ scam continues to have on people.” Fraudsters will take every opportunity to try to steal money and personal information from victims.

“Unfortunately, profiteering from loved ones is no exception, especially at a time when people are struggling to pay their household bills.

“If you receive a message from a friend or family member asking for money, there are a few simple things you should do. Firstly, it is very important not to transfer funds immediately.

“Inquire further by asking who exactly it is by name and calling them or asking for a voice note.

“The bank details they provide will likely not match those of your loved one, and it is likely that the scammer will tell you it is because they cannot access their bank account.

“We first heard reports of this scam in 2021 and it has now moved from WhatsApp to other channels such as text messages. You can report fraudulent messages on WhatsApp by opening a WhatsApp chat with an unknown number and selecting “Block and Report”.

“If you receive a suspicious text message, you can report it by forwarding it to 7726 before blocking the number.”

She added that those concerned they have given money to a fraudster should contact their bank and report it to Action Fraud or the police if they are in Scotland.

Chris Ainslie, head of fraud at Santander, told MailOnline: ‘It’s natural to want to respond immediately to any messages from loved ones asking for help, but scammers will pose as friends and family to panic you into transferring money. without thinking about what you are doing.” you do.

“Always take the time to consider what you are being asked to do, any requests to transfer money to a new account or excuses as to why the person cannot speak directly on the phone should be treated as a red flag.”

Some social media users were outraged at their own “stupidity” for falling for the scam, while others called it “really disgusting.”

One wrote on X: “So I fell in love with the phrase ‘hey mom, I lost my phone on Friday.’ Unfortunately, I had never heard of this and blamed myself for my own stupidity. The bank reimbursed me and yesterday I got another message: “Hey mom, still can’t find my phone xx” ha, cheeky bastard.”

Another wrote: “I received a message on my phone purporting to be from my daughter who often works outside the home. It said she damaged her new phone badly, had to buy a new one, and was using her friend’s phone. I tried calling, no answer. I asked what my grandson’s name was, but received no answer. Alarm bells.

As messages of support started pouring in, another wrote: “This is definitely a scam. Call your daughter at her regular number. I had it and I almost fell for it. Then my son had the same thing, with the message “Hi Mom…”. This is truly a dirty scam making the rounds again.”

Steve Wilson, Norton’s senior director for Northern Europe, also warned about scams, with their research showing that text scams are one of the most common scam methods.

Mr Wilson told MailOnline: “Fraudsters are constantly finding new ways to target people, and with 17.9 million Britons falling victim to cybercrime last year alone, according to our Norton Cyber ​​Safety Insights Report, the efforts of scammers are unfortunately, they work.

“As a common example, we are seeing an increase in the number of scammers who are approaching parents under false pretenses and posing as family members with the main goal being financial gain. In fact, our research found that text scams are one of the most common scam methods (31 percent).

“Scammers will pose as a family member or friend in an emergency and make an urgent appeal for money.

“The messages are usually sent from hacked accounts of friends or family, so they may appear to be coming from them, but the number may be unknown and unrecognizable.

“Fraudsters tug at our heartstrings and by posing as someone else, they can target the most vulnerable and steal money from the pockets of innocent people.”