Known as 'Hi Mum' or 'family impersonation' scams, victims are contacted - most often through WhatsApp - by a scammer posing as a family member or friend. 9News
The scammer will claim they have lost or damaged their phone and are making contact from a new number.
These requests continue the ruse of a lost or broken phone with the justification that the funds are needed because they can't access their online banking temporarily.An example of the 'Hi Mum' mobile phone scam that has resulted in more than $2 million stolen from Aussies.. "We have seen an explosion in the number of 'Hi Mum' scams in the past couple of months, and so we are warning Australians to be very wary of messages from unknown numbers claiming to be from their children, parents, relatives or friends," ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
The ACCC is urging people who receive suspicious messages from a number they don't recognise, to independently verify the contact."If you're contacted by someone claiming to be your son, daughter, relative or friend, start by calling them on the number already stored in your phone to confirm if it's no longer in use. If they pick up – you know it's a scam," Rickard said.
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