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Australia

‘Hi Mum’: Scammers targeting parents by pretending to be children who need help

A close up of a woman's hands holding a mobile phone.

Scammers are pretending to be children in need of financial help as part of a new messaging scam targeting parents, authorities have warned.

At least 25 victims of the scam, which originated in Europe, have been detected in Victoria this year.

The victims typically receive a WhatsApp or text message from an unknown number impersonating their child.

According to police, messages often say something along the lines of “Hi mum, I’ve changed provider/lost/broken my phone – I’m temporarily using this number for now.”

The offenders eventually request money from the victim, usually using some kind of emergency as their justification for needing the funds.

Most of the offenders are based overseas and are not known to the victims.

a whatsapp message that says "Hi mum, my other phone crashed. but this is my temporary number"
An example of the scam messages.(Twitter: Scamwatch)

Detective Sergeant John Cheyne from the Cybercrime Squad said such scams pulled on the victim’s heartstrings.

“A child telling you they’ve lost or broken their phone and are in need of financial support is understandably a situation where parents would react without a second thought,” he said in a statement.

“If ever you receive a message from an unknown number asking for money, it’s always worth asking for some kind of verification.

“If they can’t prove who they are or aren’t willing to, don’t transfer the money.”

a message reads "i have a little problem i need to pay a bill but i cannot log into my online banking."
The conversations usually progress for a while before the offender requests money.(Twitter: Scamwatch)

A recent report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found scammers stole $1.8 billion from Australians in 2021 — more than double 2020’s total.

Factoring in the estimated number of unreported scams, that figure exceeds $2 billion.

“Often, matters of this nature are under-reported and that can be for a range of reasons, including fear or embarrassment, and sometimes feeling unsure if an offense has occurred,” Sergeant Cheyne said.

“We encourage anyone who has been subjected to a scam such as this to speak to police.”

Anyone who has been a victim of the scam should call their bank immediately and report the incident via ReportCyber.

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Categories
Australia

Police issue stern warning to Australians after more than $2 million stolen from victims under ‘Hi Mum’ text scam

Police issue stern warning to Australians after more than $2 million stolen from victims under 'Hi Mum' text scam

Police are warning Australians to be vigilant after more than $2 million has been stolen from victims under a “Hi mum” text scam.

The scam involves the offender sending a text message from an unknown mobile number claiming to be their son or daughter.

The message will say they have lost their phone, telling the victim to delete their old number.

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Once the victim engages in conversation, the offender will make an excuse about how they are unable to make a payment before asking to borrow money or have a payment made on their behalf.

The offender will usually state it’s a matter of emergency before providing details for the payment.

NSW Police has provided an example of the messages, warning Aussie parents to “beware of this scam!!!!”.

“Hey mum it’s me. I got a new number, you can delete the old one,” the offender writes alongside a thumbs up and heart emoji.

“Which is it to me????” the victim responds.

“Your oldest and cutest child xx,” the offender writes, before continuing the conversation.

“I got a new phone. I’m still transferring everything. I have a little problem I can’t solve… Can you help me with it?

“Well because of the new device I have to transfer all apps, but the banking app has put a 48-hour security on the app due to fraud. All nice but I have to pay 2 payments. Very annoying because I can’t do anything about it. Could you possibly pay for me and I’ll return it as soon as possible???”

Social media users were quick to respond to the warning, admitting they too could fall for the scam.

“I’d fall for that… Not even gonna lie,” one person wrote.

“I’d know it wasn’t my kid by the way it’s written, but I can see how people can fall into this trap,” another wrote.

A third said they received a similar message, but challenged the sender.

“I received this. I replied back with ‘what is your middle name if this is truly my child?’ They never responded. Number blocked and reported,” they wrote.

Cybercrime Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Matthew Craft said victims of the “Hi Mum” scam dated back to October last year, but they have seen a “significant increase in reports” since May.

Victims in NSW and Victoria account for just over half of all “Hi Mum” scam reports made to Australian law enforcement bodies, followed by Western Australia and Queensland.

“We encourage people to look out for suspicious behaviors demonstrated by these scammers; including their failure to personalize any communication and excuses as to why they can’t speak on the phone,” Det Supt Craft said.

“If you receive a suspicious message on your mobile, particularly through social media or encrypted messaging, reach out to your relative by an alternative method of communication or call to confirm it is in fact them.

“In just a matter of months, the losses accumulated by Australian victims of this scam easily exceed $2 million when you consider the significant underreporting by victims of cybercrime generally.”

Det Supt Craft said the demographic of victims is predominantly aged over 55.

“Sadly, many parents are falling victim because they’re simply nice people who are concerned for their child’s welfare,” he said.

He said people who have lost money to a scam should contact their bank or financial institution as soon as possible and report the matter to the police.

For more advice on how to avoid scams and what to do if you or someone you know is a victim of a scam, visit the Scamwatch website.

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Categories
Australia

Four men charged in relation to roofing scam which collected more than $640,000 from Melbourne residents

A man inspecting roofing works on top of a house

Victoria Police have arrested and charged four people who are accused of scamming Melbourne residents, as they allegedly attempted to escape the country undetected after the fact.

Police allege the group scammed more than 20 Melbourne residents by posing as workers from a legitimate roofing company, collecting more than $640,000 after telling home owners their roofs needed urgent repairs.

A 21-year-old Irish national allegedly involved in the scam was detained at Tullamarine Airport on July 28 after allegedly trying to board a flight to Ireland with his brother’s passport.

Police say the accused man charged an 81-year-old Kew resident $99,000 for repair works on his roof between May and June 2022 and ultimately left it in worse condition, with the owner “forced to use pots and pans inside the house” to combat leaks.

Pair attempts to leave country days after first arrest

Police later arrested three males on July 31 in connection to a further $540,000 worth of alleged roofing scams this year.

Two of the men were also caught by Australian Border Force (ABF) officials attempting to board a flight out of the country at Tullamarine Airport, while a 20-year-old female traveling with the pair was released after questioning.

ABF Superintendent Nicholas Walker said the two British nationals and the Irish national had tried to make their escape when they were arrested.

“These were deliberate attempts to slip out of the country undetected and the decisive action of the ABF officers who stopped them should serve as a warning to anyone else looking to do the same,” Superintendent Walker said.

“The ABF targets traveling with men who seek to exploit vulnerable people. We are working with state police to identify and disrupt the criminal activities of traveling with men through Operation Suddenblaze.”

A 35-year-old male was also arrested in Oakleigh later that day and subsequently charged with deception offenses and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Sandbags and plastic placed over a damaged roof
Police say homes were often left in states of disrepair or with unfinished work.(ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch)

Subsequent independent inspections of residents affected by the scam identified that works quoted for were never required, incomplete or were of poor workmanship, with amounts quoted deemed excessive.

It follows the jailing of a separate trio of men who targeted elderly Victorians with an elaborate roofing scam in 2020.

Senior Constable Lachlan Balazs from the Boroondara Crime Investigation Unit said crimes such as the roofing scam often affected vulnerable Victorians the most.

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