"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've dropped my phone down the loo, 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 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 banking app. If you have this message open right now, stop for a moment: this is one of the most common messaging scams in the UK, and a single call to their 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 barely changes from one wave to the next:

1. The vague greeting. "Hi Mum" or "Hi Dad", with no name. If you reply "Is that you, Sophie?", you've just handed over the name they needed.
2. The new-number excuse. A broken, lost or stolen phone, or "I've switched networks". It explains why they're writing from an unknown number.
3. The excuse not to talk. "I can't call, the microphone's not working", "I'm at work", "my 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?". Nothing is requested yet.
5. The money emergency. Rent due today, a bill that will go to a debt collector, an online order about to be cancelled. Since they "can't get into the banking app 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 to a third party: "a friend", "the landlord", "the shop". If you pay, a second request usually follows.

There's a more dangerous variant: the message arrives from your child's real number because their WhatsApp account has been taken over (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 of them proves anything on its own, but if you see two or more together, treat it as a scam until proven otherwise:

• An unknown number and a blank or generic profile picture.
• No sign of your child's name, family nicknames or recent details only they would know.
• A steady refusal to talk or send a voice note.
• Pressure: "it has to be today", "if I don't pay now I'll lose it".
• The account receiving the money isn't in your child's name. When you set up a new payee, your banking app may warn you that the name doesn't match the account (the Confirmation of Payee check). Take that warning seriously.
• A request for secrecy: "don't tell Dad, he'll go mad".
• A writing style that doesn't match how they normally message you.

What do I do right now?

1. Don't pay and don't reply with personal details. Don't give names, don't confirm anything, and never send on any code that arrives by text.
2. Call your son or daughter on their usual number, the one saved in your contacts, not the new one. In the vast majority of cases they'll answer calmly and the scam ends there.
3. If they don't answer, check another way: their partner, a sibling, a housemate or a colleague. No payment is so urgent it can't wait ten minutes.
4. Ask the new number for a voice note or a video call. Your real child will do it without fuss; the scammer will make excuses.
5. Ask a question whose answer isn't on social media: the name of your first pet, what you had for Sunday lunch last week.
6. Save the evidence before blocking: screenshots of the whole chat, the number, and the account details they gave you.
7. Block and report the number in WhatsApp (open the chat, tap the name or number and choose "Report"). WhatsApp receives the latest messages and can close the account.

What if I've already made the transfer?

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

1. Call your bank straight away. Dial 159, the Stop Scams UK number that connects you securely to many UK banks, or use the number on the back of your card. Say it's a scam and ask them to try to stop or recover the payment. Faster Payments land in seconds, so every minute counts.
2. Ask about reimbursement. Since October 2024, banks and payment firms in the UK have had to reimburse most victims of authorised push payment (APP) scams, with some exceptions, as the Payment Systems Regulator explains. Your bank will tell you how to claim.
3. Don't send any more money, even if the "child" insists that "just a bit more" is needed.
4. Report it to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland on 101. Keep the screenshots and the payment details: your bank may ask for the crime reference number.
5. If your own WhatsApp has been 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 danger or there's an emergency in progress, call 999.

How do I protect my family next time?

The best defence is for parents and grandparents to know the script before they receive it. Tell them in so many words: "If someone claiming to be me messages you from another number and asks for money, ring me on my usual number before you pay anything." A few simple measures:

• Agree a family rule: nobody asks for money by message only; any request is confirmed with a call.
• Agree a code word for real emergencies.
• Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification on everyone's phones, and remember that the six-digit code is never shared with anyone, ever.
• Check who can see your profile picture so strangers can't.

A call and message identification app like NoCall can show you whether a number has already been flagged by other users, but the call to the usual number is what really shuts the door. Suspicious texts can also be forwarded free to 7726, as the National Cyber Security Centre explains.

Frequently asked questions

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

What if my child really has changed number? Then they'll happily call you or send a voice note. A genuine change of number never comes with an urgent need for you to pay a third party.

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

Is it worth reporting if I didn't lose any money? Yes. Reporting the number in WhatsApp and warning the people around you helps cut the campaign short. You can also get advice from Citizens Advice and report the number 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, ring 159 or your bank, report it to Report Fraud or Police Scotland and ask about reimbursement. And if you've received the message, report it in the NoCall spam numbers directory: your warning could stop another parent from paying.