The scam involves hackers claiming to be a family member and starting a new WhatsApp chat with “Hello Mum” or “Hello Dad” in the hope of phishing unsuspecting parents.
They will say that they are messaging from a new number as their phone was lost and will go on to claim that they need money urgently to pay for a new phone or a bill.
have recorded 1,235 instances of this scam and say that over 拢1.5 million has been lost.
If you receive a message like this from a friend or family member, don鈥檛 send any money until you鈥檝e had a chance to call them and confirm their identity.
Remember a friend in need is always a friend worth calling and talk to your friends and family about this scam so that they know What鈥檚 Up on WhatsApp.