Just got a fraudulent 'hello mum' text

[PupInAPram]

saying 'my phone crashed, WhatsApp me on this number'. I know it's bollocks as my kids don't call me mum. My aibu is,
YANBU have a bit of fun and string the fraudsters along for a while just for shits and giggles.
YABU even replying knowing the text is fraudulent can be risky.

YANBU. Do it!

Don’t reply, you’re just confirming it’s an active number. Forward to action fraud.

How do I do this please?

Don't reply just block!

Definitely do not reply. Block.

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

Your shits and giggles will just encourage them to do it to people who may be more vulnerable and scared by the scamming cunts.

Don't.

Don’t reply.

Once you end up on a list as a live number, your details become much more valuable to scammers.

I got an IKEA verification code text the other day.

How can that be used to defraud me?

Is it if I reply it confirms that my number is valid?

This, totally.

Mine call me mam or maaa!!!!! We also have protocols in place for if their phone is genuinely broken

@Peakysneaky Mar, don't ask me why!

My phone - which is just a cheap one, tells me when a call or a text is a scam

I had one of these the other week
I told this "child" that I wished they weren't born and they weren't getting a penny from me. Couldn't resist a little wind up. What happens now I'm on "the list" 😬

I had this text going back 3/4 years and was unsure about it so I sent a fishing text back, to confirm either way if it really was my dd

what Have they done with my live number?

Seems a few folk have replied without then getting bombarded by fraudsters.

I replied is that Ella or Matty? It was poor little Ella, which is weird as I don't have an Ella. They gave me lots of urgent texts before I remembered I had disowned Ella as she was a lazy so and so and would she kindly ask her Dad as I no longer wanted her to live her. She never contacted him though which was strange.

Smilesup - excellent reply

Why do they always want you to WhatsApp them? I'm always tempted to play the helpless parent and tell them to set up the WhatsApp.

Don't reply ffs

I saw a meme that said to do a gumtree add saying free puppies and list the number

Although actually maybe don't do this or they'll start asking those people for deposits or something 😭

I had this last week - as a childless person I wondered if our cat had suddenly become amazingly tech savvy.

My Dsis and I have joked that we can sleep easily know our DM would never fall for these scams as despite being wealthy, she doesn’t so much as buy us a cup of coffee.