The messages claimed that AJ was using a new number, as she had dropped her phone down the toilet, and that she urgently needed cash – but not all was as it seemed
When mum Nicky received a text from someone claiming to be her daughter AJ, asking for £1,600 to pay a bill, her first reaction was to help her child.
The messages claimed that AJ was using a new number, as she had dropped her phone down the toilet, and that she urgently needed cash. But not all was as it seemed.
Nicky, 60, was the victim of the notorious “Hi Mum” scam, which is where fraudsters pretend to be your child on an unknown number.
It normally starts with the fraudster claiming that the child has broken or lost their phone, and that they need money for an emergency situation.
Speaking to The Mirror, Nicky, who works in finance and lives in Halifax, West Yorkshire, explained how four words gave the scam away.
She said: “I was at work and I received this text. She was due to go on holiday in two days and I didn’t want her stressing out. She’d been through an awful lot, so I was prepared to help her by paying this bill.
“Another text came through, and it said: ‘How are you doing?’ My daughter doesn’t speak like that. And she would never ever have asked me to pay a £1,600 bill ever. I picked the phone up and called her mobile, the one supposedly down the toilet.”
After speaking to her daughter on the phone, Nicky got the confirmation she needed that the texts were in fact from a scammer. Looking back at the conversation, she also highlighted how the very opening message was designed to be generic, to trick her into giving away information.
Nick said: “It said basically on the lines of: ‘Hi mum, I’ve dropped my phone down the toilet. Guess which one of your silly children has done that’. I thought to myself, well, AJ is the only one at home, the other two are at work. So straightway, I gave them the name.
“Maybe in hindsight again, she would have directly said: ‘Mum, it’s AJ, I’ve dropped my phone’. But it was more of a generic message.
“Thinking back again, would my girls have done that that to me, or said it like that? I don’t think they would have done. I would help anybody, and I don’t like that we work hard for our money, then there’s people out there, trying to scam it.“
Nicky was left shaken up following the incident – but is grateful that she didn’t end up sending money to the scammers. She is now sharing her story to raise awareness of the devious tactics fraudsters use to trick people into parting with their cash.
New research from Santander shows £1,172,212 was lost to impersonation scams between April to June this year, and of this, impersonation of friends and family accounted for more than a third, or £374,891.
Sons and daughters were the most impersonated, with scammers conning £115,364 from over-50s by claiming their son or daughter had got a new number, while £66,572 was stolen after the scammer claimed a loved one’s phone was broken.
Nicky said: “I felt stupid. I didn’t reply and then I get a couple of texts back. Mum? Mum? And probably then they realise I wasn’t going back. It was this quick and simple as that.“
‘Hi Mum’ scams – what to watch out for
Santander has revealed the following tell-tale signs that could indicate you’re being contacted by a scammer:
- Criminals impersonate people you know and trust – even members of your own family.
- They’ll send a message pretending to be a loved one.
- The message will come from a new, unknown number claiming that their old phone is broken or lost. They’ll go on to ask for money to buy a new phone or to pay an urgent bill.
- The criminal will want you to act straight away, so they’ll tell a story to try and push you to do something differently. This stops you taking time to reflect on what’s happening and make you more likely to fall victim to their scam.
- Always speak to the person before making any payments, either face to face or by calling their old number. Taking a moment to stop and think, could save you losing your money.
How to report scams
Make sure you report scams and fraud to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040, or through the Action Fraud website.
If you’re in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or on the Advice Direct Scotland website. You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101.
For scam emails, forward them to [email protected], and for scam text messages, forward them to 7726 for free. You can report dodgy websites to the National Cyber Security Centre.
If you suspect a scammer is calling you, hang up immediately and search for the contact details online of the place you’re supposedly being called from.
Never call back the number provided by the caller. Contact your bank straight away if you think a fraudster has got access to your account. You can call the 159 hotline, which will connect you to your bank.
Passwords that have been leaked or compromised should be changed immediately.