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Original poster

"Hi Mum" scam alert....

75 replies

Summerhouse2013 · 20/11/2022 17:27

Please be aware of the latest mobile phone scam...

My son is at Uni, I received a text message from a random number saying "Hi mum, i've smashed my phone (he has done this in the past to be honest), i'm calling from a friend's mobile but it's about die, here is my new number, can you whatsapp message me on it"

I sent a message, asked if he was ok. A few messages backward & forwards & then he said he was stressed because he couldn't pay some bills that day as the bank had frozen his account, he would pay me back in 2 days. He then said he would send his bank details to me, which I knew was odd as I know his bank details as we pay him some money every month.

I then texted this new number and said "Hi son, have seen a few of these new scams going around regarding mobiles, can we have a quick chat to make sure it's you that is texting me" I had no reply despite calling a few times & I could see the person was online....

Please be careful folks....it was only a programme on the TV a few weeks ago that alerted me to this.....

OP posts:
FairytaleofNewHampshire · 20/11/2022 20:27

I had one a few weeks ago and I asked which daughter it was and they replied the eldest.
I then asked if they had remembered Uncle Herbert's birthday and they said yes.
I said don't forget you promised to transfer £500 for the holiday, they then said could I lend them some money.
I replied I could but I've just remembered I don't have any daughters 😀

Mommabear20 · 20/11/2022 20:29

I've had 2 of these. Given that my eldest DC is 2 and doesn't have a phone, I blocked them rather swiftly! 😂

PicturesOfDogs · 20/11/2022 20:31

You can forward these messages on to 7726 (at least on o2) and they ask you for the number it came from.
I always report all these messages, the fake covid ones, fake delivery ones asking for extra payment etc.
Ive got 7726 saved in my phones as ‘scams’ lol

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MrsMitford3 · 20/11/2022 20:33

I have 3 DC in early 20's-one still at Uni and have gotten two in the past week.

You can see how easily believable it is...

So shitty

neighboursmustliveon · 20/11/2022 20:34

My mil nearly fell for this and if she did online banking would have sent money. She still didn't get it was a scam despite talking to her dd on the phone and was arsey with her when they spoke as she stopped replying about what she needed the money for 🙄

My 13 year old dd also got the text. She obviously knew it was a scam right away.

SomeChickensAreJustTooBig · 20/11/2022 20:35

I have had one of these. I checked with my son and of course it was all bollocks.

Notjusta · 20/11/2022 20:37

My mum got had this earlier in the week. She knew it wasn't me or my sibling as the message came through at 2am and no way either of us would be up at that time!!

QuiltedHippo · 20/11/2022 20:37

I got that one recently, was suprised that my 18 month old had a phone

Oxborn · 20/11/2022 20:38

My mum was caught out on this and stupidly sent £5000

Oxborn · 20/11/2022 20:39

FairytaleofNewHampshire · 20/11/2022 20:27

I had one a few weeks ago and I asked which daughter it was and they replied the eldest.
I then asked if they had remembered Uncle Herbert's birthday and they said yes.
I said don't forget you promised to transfer £500 for the holiday, they then said could I lend them some money.
I replied I could but I've just remembered I don't have any daughters 😀

Brilliant 😂

Theyorkshirelass · 20/11/2022 20:42

My lovely mother In law had two adult children

she got the ‘hiya mum,it’s your dd…’

she was very upset as her adult dd died from battens disease in 2000 (aged 23)

she rang her ds-my partner-in pieces-it was horrible trying to explain to her that it wasn’t her dd texting from the afterlife,but a well known scam and if she ever got a message,no matter what platform,she is to contact either of us

bastards-she was really shaken for weeks afterwards-she’s an amazing lady who didn’t deserve that

MadisonAvenue · 20/11/2022 20:47

I’ve had this a few times. I knew it was a scam because we’re in the West Midlands and it’s usually Mom rather than Mum around here, my sons would never call me Mum.

Quveas · 20/11/2022 20:49

Not exactly the latest. It's been around for years now...

howaboutchocolate · 20/11/2022 20:55

I still don't understand this scam. If your "child" has a new number with WhatsApp already set up on a new phone, why do they say they're texting you from a friends phone instead of just directly from their supposed new number. How does that make it seem more legitimate?

AngelasEyelash · 20/11/2022 20:56

I realised this was a scan when the text from my DS included 2 kisses....

GreenTeaPingPong · 20/11/2022 20:58

I got this exact same scam text this afternoon.

NoddingTulip · 20/11/2022 20:59

I had one a couple of weeks ago, knew instantly it wasn't any of my DC as they call me "Ducky" as short for Mother Duck (which they use when being sarcastic!). If they are trying to butter me up its likely to be mama usually in a baby voice like when they were little. DC range in age from 11-22 and have NEVER called me mum.

Original poster
Summerhouse2013 · 20/11/2022 21:12

Some of these responses are so familiar...what makes it more worrying for me is that that my son had already texted me days ago saying his mobile was damaged (genuine message), so when I received the 1st random message today reitterating his mobile was smashed I thought the message must be from him, it was too much of a cooincidence.....we're resetting all our passwords....

OP posts:
AnneElliott · 20/11/2022 21:15

I had this - I was aware it was a scam and asked which child it was (I only have 1 in reality). I strung then along for a bit before blocking the number.

LoveBluey · 20/11/2022 21:19

My MIL almost fell for this one. She asked me if I had SILs new phone number as she'd smashed her phone. It sounded odd and took me a minute to work out it must be this scam. Luckily she doesn't do technology very well so hadn't managed to save the new number or add to WhatsApp but I'm sure if she knew how to do internet banking she would have sent money if asked.

I said to her didn't you think it was strange the message came from a 'friend' of SIL rather than SILs husband. She just said oh yeah I never thought of that.

LoveBluey · 20/11/2022 21:19

I also had the message but my kids are both under 5 so just deleted and blocked straight away

dementedpixie · 20/11/2022 21:23

I got one as well but both my children were in the house so I knew it was a scam

ConnieSaks · 20/11/2022 21:29

We’ve had a few of these - often when DS is upstairs so we suggest it might be easier to come downstairs!

If he’s not in we ask for a reminder of his middle name (they didn’t like that - the abuse was quite amusing!).

Dreikanter · 20/11/2022 21:39

I have a DS who did get a new number and WhatsApped me as he’d dropped his phone down a portaloo. Fortunately not too hard to verify him (quick phone call).

DH got the “hi mum” one a couple of days ago. As did our other DS. I’d be tempted to string them along a bit but I wouldn’t want to flag up that it’s a live number.

FallowfieldHillbilly · 20/11/2022 21:42

Quveas · 20/11/2022 20:49

Not exactly the latest. It's been around for years now...

Why do people say shit like this? You learn about something when you learn about it. My mum learned it last week when she received a similarly worded text. 🤷🏻‍♀️