Fraudsters send ‘hello mum’ texts to trick parents out of money

Scammers posing as son or daughter in need of money after ‘losing phone’ have made almost £50k

POLICE are warning people about a new text scam in which conmen pose as needy family members to dupe parents out of thousands of pounds.

Officers said almost £50,000 had already been lost to the emerging “hello mum” and “hello dad” frauds.

Criminals will typically dial a random telephone number claiming to be a needy son, daughter or family friend.

They will say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged and will go on to ask for money to purchase a new device, or claim that they need money urgently to pay a bill.

Experts warned the “brazen” scam marked a shift in the kinds of online frauds that have exploded during the pandemic, where scammers often pose as banks or government organisations to trick people into handing over their financial details.

Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime, said that some victims had lost £3,000 to the scam.

Acting Det Insp Craig Mullish, from the City of London Police, said: “If you’re contacted out of the blue from a number you don’t recognise but the person is claiming to be someone you know and are requesting financial assistance – stop and think as it could protect you and your money.

“These messages may appear genuine but your money could end up in the pockets of a criminal, so it’s OK to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.

“Try and reach out to the person directly by another form of communication to confirm that their request for help is genuine as it could be a scam.”

One victim, Peter Saunt, from Barwell

‘This is the latest brazen example of fraudsters evolving their tactics to trick more innocent victims’

in Leicestershire, lost £2,000 after scammers posed as his son using Whatsapp. In the exchange, the fraudsters convinced him that his son had had his credit cards blocked after losing his phone and asked him to transfer £1,950 to pay for an “imminent” online course.

Even after Mr Saunt had made the initial payment the scammers continued to message him and pressure him for more money.

“Nothing indicated that it wasn’t him, it was like a mirror image of a conversation I had with my son recently. Why would I be suspicious?” he told the Leicester Mercury.

“The feelings both my wife and I are going through are sickening, so I really want to get the message out please be very careful.”

Figures from Action Fraud show that 25 instances of the scam have been reported between August and October, with victims losing a combined total £48,356.

On social media, some people who received the fraudulent Whatsapp text said that they had rumbled the ruse when they asked the scammer which of their children was messaging only to be given vague answers such as “the oldest one”.

Adam French, a consumer rights expert for Which?, said: “This is the latest brazen example of unscrupulous fraudsters evolving their tactics in their relentless efforts to trick more and more innocent victims into handing over money.

“Consumers should be extremely wary of Whatsapp and text messages requesting money, even if they appear to be coming from loved ones.

“If you’re in any doubt, give the family member or friend a quick call to check if it’s really them.”