The Hi Mum Scam
A Bit About It:
Scam Type: SMS/Text message scam, impersonation, WhatsApp Scam
What is it: This is a scam that pretends to be your daughter, son or relative of any kind. It is known as the "Hi Mum Scam" you can find it via hashtags on social media, like twitter. The texts displayed on twitter may be the same if not similar to the messages you have received.
What it does: This scam starts off with a text, pretending to be someone you know, like your child, from a different number claiming to have an issue that causes them to be unable to reach their own phone number, they usually contact you roughly saying this message via SMS "Hi mum I'm texting you off of my friends number I broke my phone, can you message me on this number 07######### on WhatsApp". If you even have kids.
Who it targets: I believe this scam's main focus is targeting individuals who would do anything for their sons or daughters without question. But remember these people behind the text messages send them to every one, I've had six and I have no kids. These messages are sent via bot numbers.
How the scam benefits from you: From my understanding this scam gets revenue from YOU by asking for money via WhatsApp.
More About It:
A more detailed documentation and other notes on The Hi Mum Scam
This scam looks like this, the wording may be different but will always ask you to text them on a different number from the one they are contacting you from.
Then when and if you reply to the number they want you to text, they may ask you to text that number on WhatsApp, you might just hop right in and put that number into your WhatsApp giving them the advantage. And this is why you need to research before a random number texts you.
The way they might possibly ask you for said money, just like in some instances they've said in the SMS messages, is to replace a broken phone. But this maximises profits for the scammers, as if you do fall for it your giving away £300+ to replace their "phone" this means in a worse case scenario, If you would give everything to your kids they will milk that.
The reason why they succeed in some cases is because they make people believe that you are truly speaking to your daughter, son or what ever you think they are claiming to be. I can say for sure that it is very hard to just search, google everything online. To an elderly person or concerned mother they are likely to have this response of "I must help my child" missing the fact that it is a scam.
