New research from Vodafone has uncovered a most common scam that is fooling one in seven respondents and resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
According to a study by Vodafone one in seven respondents have been a victim of the Hi Mum/Hi Dad scam in the past year.
The scammers imitate a son or daughter either by text or a messaging app like WhatsApp saying they have lost or broken their phone and need money urgently to either buy a new device or pay an urgent bill.
School holidays are just around the corner and Vodafone has issued a warning about this scam which targets families.
The survey showed nearly half of Australians (44 per cent) we’re not aware of the Hi Mum/Hi Dad scam, leaving them open to fraudsters to steal their money by impersonating their loved ones.
In December 2024, the mother of former police officer Kylie Dennis received multiple frantic messages from who she assumed was her daughter claiming her phone was broken and needed money to pay a bill urgently.
Kylie’s mother tried calling her but was unable to reach her because she was swimming and not by her phone.
With rising panic from the messages and her inability to contact her daughter, Kylie’s mother attempted to transfer $4,750 assuming it was for her loved one in urgent need of the money.
We understand there was an issue with the bank as she was trying to organise the transfer. She even tried to send several smaller amounts but wasn’t successful so luckily she didn’t lose any money.
But it still shows just how easily a family member, thinking their child is in desperate need, can be fooled.
Scammers are deliberately trying to cause concern and panic while pressuring the victim to act immediately.
To help parents and families avoid becoming a victim, Lee Barney, General Manager Technology Security at Vodafone has shared some tips to protect yourself against the Hi Mum/Hi Dad scams.
– Beware of unknown numbers asking for money: If you receive an SMS or WhatsApp message from an unknown number claiming to be a loved one in need of money, do not transfer any funds.
– Be suspicious of messages asking for an immediate response: If the person is pressuring you for money immediately, take alternate measures to contact your loved one.
– Pick up the phone: If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a message, it’s always best to call your loved one on the mobile number stored in your phone.
– Ask a personal question: If unable to make contact via phone call, ask a personal question over message that only your family member would know the answer to.
– Agree on a safe word: Agree on a safe word with your family members that you can use in this situation to avoid sharing personal information with the fraudster.
– Report the message: If you receive any SMS relating to this scam, report it to Scamwatch so they can stop scammers and warn others.
