"Hi Mum, this is my new number": what to do if your "child" asks for money on WhatsApp

"Hi Mum, this is my new number": what to do if your "child" asks for money on WhatsApp

"Hi Mum, I dropped my phone in the toilet, this is my new number, save it and delete the old one." Or "Hi Dad, my phone's broken, I'm messaging from a mate's." It arrives on WhatsApp (sometimes by text) from a number that isn't in your contacts and, a little later, the urgency appears: a bill has to be paid today and "your child" can't do it from their own banking app. If you have this message open right now, stop for a moment: the "Hi Mum" scam has cost Australian families a great deal of money, and a single call to the usual number takes it apart. Here's what to do, step by step.

How does the "Hi Mum" scam work?

The scammer doesn't know who you are. They send the same generic greeting to thousands of numbers and wait for someone to reply. From there the script is almost identical every time:

1. The vague greeting. "Hi Mum" or "Hi Dad", with no name. If you reply "Is that you, Chloe?", you've just handed over the name they needed.
2. The new-number excuse. Broken phone, dropped in water, stolen, a new SIM. It explains why they're messaging from an unknown number.
3. The excuse not to talk. "Can't call, the mic's not working", "I'm at work", "battery's about to die". The scammer can't imitate your child's voice, so they avoid any call.
4. A few trust-building messages. Small talk, emojis, "how are you going?". Nothing is requested yet.
5. The money emergency. A bill due today, rent, a phone repair, a purchase that will be cancelled. Because they "can't get into online banking on the new phone yet", they ask you to pay for them.
6. Someone else's account. The money has to go by bank transfer or PayID to "a friend", "the landlord" or "the repair shop". Fast payments land within seconds, which is exactly why scammers like them. If you pay, a second request usually follows.

There's a more dangerous variant: the message comes from your child's real number because their WhatsApp account has been stolen (usually by tricking them into sharing the six-digit code WhatsApp sends by text). The chat looks normal, but the protocol below still works: a voice call exposes it.

What are the red flags?

None proves anything on its own, but two or more together means you should treat it as a scam until proven otherwise:

• Unknown number and an empty or generic profile picture.
• No sign of your child's name, family nicknames or recent details only they would know.
• A constant refusal to talk or to send a voice message.
• Pressure: "it has to be today", "I'll lose it if I don't pay now".
• The account name isn't your child's, but someone else or a business.
• A request for secrecy: "don't tell Dad, he'll go off".
• Spelling, slang or tone that doesn't sound like how they normally write to you.

What do I do right now if I've received one?

1. Don't pay and don't reply with personal details. Don't give names, don't confirm anything and never send on a code that arrives by text.
2. Call your son's or daughter's usual number, the one saved in your contacts, not the new one. Most of the time they'll pick up, puzzled, and the scam ends there.
3. If they don't answer, check another way: their partner, a sibling, a housemate or a workmate. No payment is so urgent it can't wait ten minutes.
4. Ask the new number for a voice message or a video call. A real child will do it without fuss; the scammer will make excuses.
5. Ask a control question that can't be found on social media: the name of the first family pet, what you had for dinner last time you saw each other.
6. Save evidence before blocking: screenshots of the whole chat, the number and the account details or PayID they gave you.
7. Block and report the number in WhatsApp (open the chat, tap the name or number and choose "Report"). WhatsApp's guide to suspicious messages explains the process.

What if I've already paid?

Don't blame yourself: this script is written by professionals to get past caution. What matters now is speed:

1. Call your bank immediately on the number on the back of your card or in its app. Tell them it's a scam and ask them to try to stop or recall the payment. With fast payments the window is short, so every minute counts.
2. Don't send any more money, even if your "child" insists they only need "a bit more".
3. Report it to police through ReportCyber, which you can reach from the AFP's cybercrime page, and keep the reference number: your bank may ask for it. If you'd rather speak to someone, the Police Assistance Line is 131 444 in most states.
4. Report it to Scamwatch, the national scam-reporting service run by the ACCC's National Anti-Scam Centre. Reports help warn others about active campaigns.
5. Get support. IDCARE (1800 595 160) is Australia's free identity and cyber support service and can help you work out what else needs securing.
6. If your own WhatsApp account was taken over because you shared a code, register your number in the app again, turn on two-step verification (Settings Account Two-step verification) and warn your contacts.

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 000.

How do I protect my family for next time?

The best defence is for parents and grandparents to know the script before it arrives. Put it plainly: "If anyone claiming to be me messages from a different number asking for money, call me on my usual number before you pay a cent." A few simple habits help:

• Set a family rule: nobody asks for money by text alone; every request gets confirmed with a call.
• Agree on a code word for genuine emergencies.
• Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification on everyone's phone, and remember the six-digit code is never shared with anyone.
• Check who can see your profile picture so strangers can't use it.

A call and message identification app like NoCall can show you whether a number has already been flagged by other people, but the call to the usual number is what really closes the door. You'll find related scams in our guides.

Frequently asked questions

The message says "Mum" and I don't have kids. Why did I get it? Because it's sent in bulk to random numbers or numbers from data breaches. You weren't chosen; you just ended up on a list.

What if my child really has changed numbers? Then they'll happily call you or send a voice message. A genuine new number never comes with an urgent need for you to pay someone else.

It came from my child's usual number. Can it still be a scam? Yes, if their WhatsApp account has been hijacked. Phone them rather than replying in the chat: if the account has been taken over, they won't know anything about it.

Is it worth reporting if I didn't lose money? Yes. Reporting the number in WhatsApp and to Scamwatch helps shut campaigns down. You can also report it in the spam numbers directory.

In short

New number, an excuse not to talk, urgency and someone else's account: that's the whole script. The answer is always the same: don't pay, call the usual number and check another way. If you've already paid, call your bank, report it through ReportCyber and Scamwatch, and contact IDCARE for support. And if you've received one of these messages, report it in the NoCall spam numbers directory: your warning could stop another parent from paying.