Beware! Scammers are no longer just using old tricks to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money. They have become more cunning and deceptive in their ways, making it even harder to identify their ploys.

One of their latest scams involves preying on the emotions of older Australians by impersonating their family members and tricking them into transferring large sums of money.

Recently, a mum from Victoria was left devastated after losing a staggering $11,000 to these fraudsters.

Can you imagine falling victim to such a cruel trick and losing such a significant amount of money? It can happen to anyone, and that's what makes this scam so dangerous.

Merrilees had been busy at work when she received a WhatsApp message that said, 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number'. Credit: Unsplash/freestocks.

Nina Merrilees, the victim, shared how she was deceived into sending money to the scammers, thinking it was her daughter in need. The message came via WhatsApp, and it appeared to be a genuine message from her daughter, who was supposedly using a new phone number.

The message said: 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number.'

This scenario was not out of the ordinary for Merrilees, as her daughter had lost or broken her phone before and had to get a new number. So she thought nothing of it when she received the message.

After the initial message, the scammers sent another message, asking for help with urgent payments. Merrilees, thinking that she was helping her daughter, agreed to provide the assistance, as it was not unusual for her to make payments for her children.

To make the scam more convincing, the fraudsters even added emojis like love hearts and smiley faces to make the messages seem more genuine. After some time, the mum sent a series of payments using Osko, totalling $11,000.

It was only when Merrilees emailed her daughter afterwards that she realised the horrifying truth. Credit: Kindel Media.

The aftermath of falling for a scam can be emotionally and financially devastating, as Merrilees found out. After making several payments, she began to feel uneasy and decided to email her daughter, only to be contacted almost immediately by her daughter's old number.

It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a scam, and the sinking feeling of losing her hard-earned money overwhelmed her. 'I felt physically sick,' she said.

Despite seeking assistance from her bank and the police, recovering the lost money has yet to be successful.

Key Takeaways

• A Victorian mum lost $11,000 after falling victim to the 'Hi Mum' scam.
• The scam involves receiving a text message claiming to be from a family member, asking to borrow money and providing bank account details for the transfer.
• In this particular case, the scammers pretended to be the victim's daughter, who lives in New Zealand, requesting help making payments due to a broken phone.

It's disheartening to hear that Nina Merrilees' experience is not an isolated incident. According to a recent report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost a staggering $1.8 billion to scams in 2021, which is a record high.

The report, which is based on an analysis of over 560,000 reports and data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, major banks, and money remitters, estimates that the actual losses are much higher than the reported amount.

Furthermore, the ACCC has received over 9,700 reports of 'Hi Mum' scams in 2022, totalling losses of nearly $7.2 million. It's a concerning trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

To make matters worse, scammers are now using alpha tags (a name or a string of text that appears in place of a phone number as the sender ID), making it even more difficult to identify a scam. In this new variant of the scam, the message appears to be from a genuine family member, complete with the contact details and all, making it harder to detect.

It's important for us to be aware of such scams and to always be wary of who we are sending money to. Credit: Unsplash/ROBIN WORRALL.

This experience is a reminder that scammers are constantly devising new and sophisticated ways to deceive and manipulate their victims.

It's crucial to be vigilant and cautious, especially when it comes to unsolicited requests for money, even if they seem to come from a trusted source. Always double-check with the person directly, preferably through a different communication channel, and never rush into making a payment.

If you're ever looking for the latest information on scams and other similar incidents, the Scam Watch forum on the SDC website is the place to go! Make sure to check it out and stay informed.

Members, do you have any other tips for avoiding scams like this? Or have you ever gone through a similar experience? Share your stories and any experiences you have in the comments below!

 

[Trudi]

Yet another person who has shown proof that they never watch the news, never watch shows like A Current Affair, never read newspapers, never read articles like this but sure enough they link their bank account to their iphone and/or home computer.

I will 'never' link my bank account to any iphone, mobile, computer. Not ever as long as I possibly can. I even take extra precautions to protect myself and have Skim Guard cards in my wallet that put up a hidden barrier so people walking past or shops that have skimming machines place in their stores, or staff working a places like petrol stations, even places like Woolworths, Coles, IGA ..etc ... are sneaky and place their skimming device near the checkout when they are working. I also have the newer Skim Guard cards that now also protect membership cards like RSL Membership, store membership ... all these cards have one's personal details on that black strip.

Please people, if you are going to lend or give money to help someone, take the money from your bank and personally go to their bank and do a cash deposit there. Or, even a Bank Cheque if it's a larger amount. The bank cheque may cost you $10 but it's better than walking from one bank to another with a large amount even for a few minutes. Or, do several withdrawals and then several deposits. Say $200-$500 at a time. You'll just get exercise doing it this way. But never and I mean 'never ever' use your device to transfer money. In fact, never add you bank account and/or your credit card to your iphone/mobile. I also take extra protection and only use my landline phone to phone and pay my bills with my credit card and also only use my landline phone to BPay my credit card. Use your iphone/mobile or even your computer to transfer money from your bank account and you are a goner. You will have to close that bank account and go to a completely new bank and set-up a new bank account just to stay safe. Then contact Centrelink, etc.. so you get the money.

You should 'never ever' use your phone/computer to transfer money or pay bills. Just once, hackers can find this and take all your money.

Thank you for your lecture. You are about 20 years too late and you clearly do not understand how on-line banking works.
For a start, you do no "link" your bank account to your mobile phone or computer, you can access your bank account on-line by using your customer number and password. Provided you do not disclose these details to another person, your bank account is secure and protected by the bank's firewalls! How do you think companies pay their creditors, by sending a staff member to the bank to get cash or bank cheques and deliver them to the creditors?

I was one of the first people in Australia to adopt online banking way back around the turn of the century when my bank made online banking available to customers.

Last week I was on a road trip and one evening while staying in a motel room in Meningie in South Australia I paid a tradesman who replaced the gutters of a property I own in Western Australia. Over the years I have also paid bills online while on several trips to Europe. Just because I am away from home doesn't mean that the bills stop coming.

It's okay for you to pay your bills in any way you see fit, however, please do not spread false claims that are designed to scare others. Online banking is perfectly safe to use, regardless of whether you use a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile as long as you keep your information safe.

 

[Leeta069]

Text msg, well still WHY did she not check it was from her daughter, especially from a different phone number. As I stated people rarely change their phone no just because they get a new phone, why would you do that when you lose all your data changing it, including your contacts list.

The explanation in the text I got was very plausable and reasonable as to why it was a different number, because the memory card was wet and couldn't be used! And I did check with the one son I thought it would be....well the only son who calls me Mum, the others have special names for me or spells it differently lol

 

[Leeta069]

The last text I got asking for money like this I just texted back “I DONT CARE!!”. if I thought it was for real I would be checking by speaking to my boys first before sending any money for sure.

I did check with my son after thinking about it, but when u think ur child is desperately in need of help most parents don't think they act.

 

[Trudi]

The explanation in the text I got was very plausable and reasonable as to why it was a different number, because the memory card was wet and couldn't be used! And I did check with the one son I thought it would be....well the only son who calls me Mum, the others have special names for me or spells it differently lol

If you drop your mobile into water, or otherwise lose it, you can purchase a new mobile and transfer your number to the new SIM card! There is no need for a new number.

 

[rehandra]

This scam has been around for ages now. Surely she has heard about it before but, obviously, ignored the warnings. We have been told over & over & over again to beware of these scams but still people fall for them. How many times do they have to be told? I'm ashamed to say that I'm not sorry for her because she ignored all the warnings.

Agree....you would have to be living under a rock not to know about this scam. Been on tv been on this site as well previously this "Hi Mum".....there is also Scamwatch you can go to where you can check out all the scams. This scam has been around since August last year. People need to be more on the ball. www.scamwatch.gov.au

 

[Julier]

My daughter received a similar message from her son requesting money. However the scam was quickly proven as my daughter is single with no children only 2 fur babies. We are wondering what her Border Collie needed so urgently!

 

[Colette 3799]

Thank you for your lecture. You are about 20 years too late and you clearly do not understand how on-line banking works.
For a start, you do no "link" your bank account to your mobile phone or computer, you can access your bank account on-line by using your customer number and password. Provided you do not disclose these details to another person, your bank account is secure and protected by the bank's firewalls! How do you think companies pay their creditors, by sending a staff member to the bank to get cash or bank cheques and deliver them to the creditors?

I was one of the first people in Australia to adopt online banking way back around the turn of the century when my bank made online banking available to customers.

Last week I was on a road trip and one evening while staying in a motel room in Meningie in South Australia I paid a tradesman who replaced the gutters of a property I own in Western Australia. Over the years I have also paid bills online while on several trips to Europe. Just because I am away from home doesn't mean that the bills stop coming.

It's okay for you to pay your bills in any way you see fit, however, please do not spread false claims that are designed to scare others. Online banking is perfectly safe to use, regardless of whether you use a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile as long as you keep your information safe.

I don’t think I’d survive these days without online banking etc. I do just about everything on line. Apart from moving money around using my banking apps I also use an app to book drs appointment, check for deliveries from my online shopping and check my electric and gas bills. Today I applied for the $250 power payment using my bank app - I didn’t even know that was possible. Just about everything is done on line these days, I even have to book a table on line at our local club, they don’t do phone bookings now. I don’t know how anyone manages to avoid it.

 

[mylittletibbies]

As you said, you did confirm this with your son, and that was the point I was making. Whether you know about the scam or not, surely no matter who is asking for such a ridiculously large amount of money, son, daughter, whoever anyone who would hand over the money without speaking to

I had never heard of it before and I am always on the net!!!! I very nearly got caught but thankfully Centrelink stopped my pension cos of a stuff up or I most likely would have sent the money thinking it was for my son! The one asking me for money wasn't asking anywhere near that much but was still a lot for me but for my son I would have done it, thankfully I decided to check with him first after thinking about it. So have some compassion, not everyone knows everything like you!

And for those saying it was a phone call, NO, IT WASN'T, IT WAS A TEXT MESSAGE!!!

Sorry I just needed to vent at all the negative comments, it is so easy to fall for a scam.....you just never know when it will hapen to you. I thought I would never fall for one but I very nearly did

Yet another person who has shown proof that they never watch the news, never watch shows like A Current Affair, never read newspapers, never read articles like this but sure enough they link their bank account to their iphone and/or home computer.

I will 'never' link my bank account to any iphone, mobile, computer. Not ever as long as I possibly can. I even take extra precautions to protect myself and have Skim Guard cards in my wallet that put up a hidden barrier so people walking past or shops that have skimming machines place in their stores, or staff working a places like petrol stations, even places like Woolworths, Coles, IGA ..etc ... are sneaky and place their skimming device near the checkout when they are working. I also have the newer Skim Guard cards that now also protect membership cards like RSL Membership, store membership ... all these cards have one's personal details on that black strip.

Please people, if you are going to lend or give money to help someone, take the money from your bank and personally go to their bank and do a cash deposit there. Or, even a Bank Cheque if it's a larger amount. The bank cheque may cost you $10 but it's better than walking from one bank to another with a large amount even for a few minutes. Or, do several withdrawals and then several deposits. Say $200-$500 at a time. You'll just get exercise doing it this way. But never and I mean 'never ever' use your device to transfer money. In fact, never add you bank account and/or your credit card to your iphone/mobile. I also take extra protection and only use my landline phone to phone and pay my bills with my credit card and also only use my landline phone to BPay my credit card. Use your iphone/mobile or even your computer to transfer money from your bank account and you are a goner. You will have to close that bank account and go to a completely new bank and set-up a new bank account just to stay safe. Then contact Centrelink, etc.. so you get the money.

You should 'never ever' use your phone/computer to transfer money or pay bills. Just once, hackers can find this and take all your money.

Wow, sorry but I think you're a little paranoid.

 

[MindyMac]

Thank you for your lecture. You are about 20 years too late and you clearly do not understand how on-line banking works.
For a start, you do no "link" your bank account to your mobile phone or computer, you can access your bank account on-line by using your customer number and password. Provided you do not disclose these details to another person, your bank account is secure and protected by the bank's firewalls! How do you think companies pay their creditors, by sending a staff member to the bank to get cash or bank cheques and deliver them to the creditors?

I was one of the first people in Australia to adopt online banking way back around the turn of the century when my bank made online banking available to customers.

Last week I was on a road trip and one evening while staying in a motel room in Meningie in South Australia I paid a tradesman who replaced the gutters of a property I own in Western Australia. Over the years I have also paid bills online while on several trips to Europe. Just because I am away from home doesn't mean that the bills stop coming.

It's okay for you to pay your bills in any way you see fit, however, please do not spread false claims that are designed to scare others. Online banking is perfectly safe to use, regardless of whether you use a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or mobile as long as you keep your information safe.

Wow! You state that you were one of the first:

"I was one of the first people in Australia to adopt online banking way back around the turn of the century when my bank made online banking available to customers." Who told you this? Do you actually have it in writing? If it works for you then OK but I wonder if you'll be another that will cry Highway Robbery when your bank account has money taken out and maybe emptied altogether or credit card(s) maxed out.

I have my opinion and your Pedestal Criticism and is just that.

 

[Don’sown]

Beware! Scammers are no longer just using old tricks to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money. They have become more cunning and deceptive in their ways, making it even harder to identify their ploys.

One of their latest scams involves preying on the emotions of older Australians by impersonating their family members and tricking them into transferring large sums of money.

Recently, a mum from Victoria was left devastated after losing a staggering $11,000 to these fraudsters.

Can you imagine falling victim to such a cruel trick and losing such a significant amount of money? It can happen to anyone, and that's what makes this scam so dangerous.

View attachment 16111

Merrilees had been busy at work when she received a WhatsApp message that said, 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number'. Credit: Unsplash/freestocks.

Nina Merrilees, the victim, shared how she was deceived into sending money to the scammers, thinking it was her daughter in need. The message came via WhatsApp, and it appeared to be a genuine message from her daughter, who was supposedly using a new phone number.

The message said: 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number.'

This scenario was not out of the ordinary for Merrilees, as her daughter had lost or broken her phone before and had to get a new number. So she thought nothing of it when she received the message.

After the initial message, the scammers sent another message, asking for help with urgent payments. Merrilees, thinking that she was helping her daughter, agreed to provide the assistance, as it was not unusual for her to make payments for her children.

To make the scam more convincing, the fraudsters even added emojis like love hearts and smiley faces to make the messages seem more genuine. After some time, the mum sent a series of payments using Osko, totalling $11,000.

View attachment 16112

It was only when Merrilees emailed her daughter afterwards that she realised the horrifying truth. Credit: Kindel Media.

The aftermath of falling for a scam can be emotionally and financially devastating, as Merrilees found out. After making several payments, she began to feel uneasy and decided to email her daughter, only to be contacted almost immediately by her daughter's old number.

It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a scam, and the sinking feeling of losing her hard-earned money overwhelmed her. 'I felt physically sick,' she said.

Despite seeking assistance from her bank and the police, recovering the lost money has yet to be successful.

Key Takeaways

• A Victorian mum lost $11,000 after falling victim to the 'Hi Mum' scam.
• The scam involves receiving a text message claiming to be from a family member, asking to borrow money and providing bank account details for the transfer.
• In this particular case, the scammers pretended to be the victim's daughter, who lives in New Zealand, requesting help making payments due to a broken phone.

It's disheartening to hear that Nina Merrilees' experience is not an isolated incident. According to a recent report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost a staggering $1.8 billion to scams in 2021, which is a record high.

The report, which is based on an analysis of over 560,000 reports and data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, major banks, and money remitters, estimates that the actual losses are much higher than the reported amount.

Furthermore, the ACCC has received over 9,700 reports of 'Hi Mum' scams in 2022, totalling losses of nearly $7.2 million. It's a concerning trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

To make matters worse, scammers are now using alpha tags (a name or a string of text that appears in place of a phone number as the sender ID), making it even more difficult to identify a scam. In this new variant of the scam, the message appears to be from a genuine family member, complete with the contact details and all, making it harder to detect.

View attachment 16113

It's important for us to be aware of such scams and to always be wary of who we are sending money to. Credit: Unsplash/ROBIN WORRALL.

This experience is a reminder that scammers are constantly devising new and sophisticated ways to deceive and manipulate their victims.

It's crucial to be vigilant and cautious, especially when it comes to unsolicited requests for money, even if they seem to come from a trusted source. Always double-check with the person directly, preferably through a different communication channel, and never rush into making a payment.

If you're ever looking for the latest information on scams and other similar incidents, the Scam Watch forum on the SDC website is the place to go! Make sure to check it out and stay informed.

Members, do you have any other tips for avoiding scams like this? Or have you ever gone through a similar experience? Share your stories and any experiences you have in the comments below!

I honestly do not have any sympathy with any people being scammed by

Beware! Scammers are no longer just using old tricks to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money. They have become more cunning and deceptive in their ways, making it even harder to identify their ploys.

One of their latest scams involves preying on the emotions of older Australians by impersonating their family members and tricking them into transferring large sums of money.

Recently, a mum from Victoria was left devastated after losing a staggering $11,000 to these fraudsters.

Can you imagine falling victim to such a cruel trick and losing such a significant amount of money? It can happen to anyone, and that's what makes this scam so dangerous.

View attachment 16111

Merrilees had been busy at work when she received a WhatsApp message that said, 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number'. Credit: Unsplash/freestocks.

Nina Merrilees, the victim, shared how she was deceived into sending money to the scammers, thinking it was her daughter in need. The message came via WhatsApp, and it appeared to be a genuine message from her daughter, who was supposedly using a new phone number.

The message said: 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number.'

This scenario was not out of the ordinary for Merrilees, as her daughter had lost or broken her phone before and had to get a new number. So she thought nothing of it when she received the message.

After the initial message, the scammers sent another message, asking for help with urgent payments. Merrilees, thinking that she was helping her daughter, agreed to provide the assistance, as it was not unusual for her to make payments for her children.

To make the scam more convincing, the fraudsters even added emojis like love hearts and smiley faces to make the messages seem more genuine. After some time, the mum sent a series of payments using Osko, totalling $11,000.

View attachment 16112

It was only when Merrilees emailed her daughter afterwards that she realised the horrifying truth. Credit: Kindel Media.

The aftermath of falling for a scam can be emotionally and financially devastating, as Merrilees found out. After making several payments, she began to feel uneasy and decided to email her daughter, only to be contacted almost immediately by her daughter's old number.

It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a scam, and the sinking feeling of losing her hard-earned money overwhelmed her. 'I felt physically sick,' she said.

Despite seeking assistance from her bank and the police, recovering the lost money has yet to be successful.

Key Takeaways

• A Victorian mum lost $11,000 after falling victim to the 'Hi Mum' scam.
• The scam involves receiving a text message claiming to be from a family member, asking to borrow money and providing bank account details for the transfer.
• In this particular case, the scammers pretended to be the victim's daughter, who lives in New Zealand, requesting help making payments due to a broken phone.

It's disheartening to hear that Nina Merrilees' experience is not an isolated incident. According to a recent report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost a staggering $1.8 billion to scams in 2021, which is a record high.

The report, which is based on an analysis of over 560,000 reports and data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, major banks, and money remitters, estimates that the actual losses are much higher than the reported amount.

Furthermore, the ACCC has received over 9,700 reports of 'Hi Mum' scams in 2022, totalling losses of nearly $7.2 million. It's a concerning trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

To make matters worse, scammers are now using alpha tags (a name or a string of text that appears in place of a phone number as the sender ID), making it even more difficult to identify a scam. In this new variant of the scam, the message appears to be from a genuine family member, complete with the contact details and all, making it harder to detect.

View attachment 16113

It's important for us to be aware of such scams and to always be wary of who we are sending money to. Credit: Unsplash/ROBIN WORRALL.

This experience is a reminder that scammers are constantly devising new and sophisticated ways to deceive and manipulate their victims.

It's crucial to be vigilant and cautious, especially when it comes to unsolicited requests for money, even if they seem to come from a trusted source. Always double-check with the person directly, preferably through a different communication channel, and never rush into making a payment.

If you're ever looking for the latest information on scams and other similar incidents, the Scam Watch forum on the SDC website is the place to go! Make sure to check it out and stay informed.

Members, do you have any other tips for avoiding scams like this? Or have you ever gone through a similar experience? Share your stories and any experiences you have in the comments below!

I honestly have no sympathy with people being scammed after every person must have read about the methods used by these scammers. If we ever get these “scam” messages the first thing we do is delete the scammers message and contact our children to confirm their alleged needs. Expecialy seeing that our children are financially financially more secure than us.

 

[Juliethor]

I received the exact same message. Thank God that I was advised by my other group about it years ago. These people are terrible. Sorry for your loss. Next time call your child first before transferring any money.

 

[Keswickian]

NEVER NEVER NEVER take action on the request of a random phone call, text or email.
Just hang up; or at least make your own checks and controls using numbers you know are genuine.

 

[KynetonKid]

This scam has been around for ages now. Surely she has heard about it before but, obviously, ignored the warnings. We have been told over & over & over again to beware of these scams but still people fall for them. How many times do they have to be told? I'm ashamed to say that I'm not sorry for her because she ignored all the warnings.

Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones! I think that's the old saying. Yes you should be ashamed and it's alright to say you've been warned BUT ......

 

[IJH]

Text msg, well still WHY did she not check it was from her daughter, especially from a different phone number. As I stated people rarely change their phone no just because they get a new phone, why would you do that when you lose all your data changing it, including your contacts list.

I would think that if your child would need money they would actually speak to their parent and not just send a text message! This in its self would ring alarm bells for me!

 

[MindyMac]

Dumb & Dumber. There will be more exactly like her. Surely by now people know about these scammers and all the fake scam messages that 'everyone gets.' There are No Exceptions to anyone getting fake messages non-stop. They're there on the phone all the time, even you missed a call. Your packages failed to be delivered ... even when you have ordered an item and awaiting delivery. Never Ever fall for this scam as well. Give it another day or so, even ensure which delivery firm the company is using as it may be Australia Post or Toll that they are using. These companies and other delivery companies use proper delivery details and your order number. The scammers do not have the Order Number. You, the supplier & delivery firm only have these details.

If people get a message from anyone asking for money, call that person themselves and never click on the number they state or even call the number if they say they have lost their mobile. If lost mobile and using someone else's, ask them to go to nearest pub, hotel, even a business close by and ask for help there by providing their phone number and then you look up that business number even then. Tell them this is the only way and then call that number and speak to them. Never transfers money from a device even then. Get out of your house and go to your bank and take out the money and go to their bank and deposit the money. Even if you have to travel 200kms, it's better than having your bank account emptied out. Drive there and protect yourself. Even if it means buying train ticket, plane ticket, paying the hotel bill for them. Also, if people are overseas and documents & cash are stolen, Travel insurance will offer Emergency Assistance. It's not for thousands but enough to assist until docs and they get their own money transferred overseas.

 

[MindyMac]

Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones! I think that's the old saying. Yes you should be ashamed and it's alright to say you've been warned BUT ......

"Those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones." Each house has windows and they break. People should know by now that glass can break. People have been warned again & again ... and yes Again & Again & again ... and again. It's the people that live in total brick homes & no windows whatsoever, do not see the world, do not watch the news are the ones that get scammed.

I'll live in a glass house any given day.

 

[kerrikennel]

Beware! Scammers are no longer just using old tricks to defraud unsuspecting victims of their hard-earned money. They have become more cunning and deceptive in their ways, making it even harder to identify their ploys.

One of their latest scams involves preying on the emotions of older Australians by impersonating their family members and tricking them into transferring large sums of money.

Recently, a mum from Victoria was left devastated after losing a staggering $11,000 to these fraudsters.

Can you imagine falling victim to such a cruel trick and losing such a significant amount of money? It can happen to anyone, and that's what makes this scam so dangerous.

View attachment 16111

Merrilees had been busy at work when she received a WhatsApp message that said, 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number'. Credit: Unsplash/freestocks.

Nina Merrilees, the victim, shared how she was deceived into sending money to the scammers, thinking it was her daughter in need. The message came via WhatsApp, and it appeared to be a genuine message from her daughter, who was supposedly using a new phone number.

The message said: 'Hi Mum, my phone is broken, this is my new number.'

This scenario was not out of the ordinary for Merrilees, as her daughter had lost or broken her phone before and had to get a new number. So she thought nothing of it when she received the message.

After the initial message, the scammers sent another message, asking for help with urgent payments. Merrilees, thinking that she was helping her daughter, agreed to provide the assistance, as it was not unusual for her to make payments for her children.

To make the scam more convincing, the fraudsters even added emojis like love hearts and smiley faces to make the messages seem more genuine. After some time, the mum sent a series of payments using Osko, totalling $11,000.

View attachment 16112

It was only when Merrilees emailed her daughter afterwards that she realised the horrifying truth. Credit: Kindel Media.

The aftermath of falling for a scam can be emotionally and financially devastating, as Merrilees found out. After making several payments, she began to feel uneasy and decided to email her daughter, only to be contacted almost immediately by her daughter's old number.

It was then that she realised she had fallen prey to a scam, and the sinking feeling of losing her hard-earned money overwhelmed her. 'I felt physically sick,' she said.

Despite seeking assistance from her bank and the police, recovering the lost money has yet to be successful.

Key Takeaways

• A Victorian mum lost $11,000 after falling victim to the 'Hi Mum' scam.
• The scam involves receiving a text message claiming to be from a family member, asking to borrow money and providing bank account details for the transfer.
• In this particular case, the scammers pretended to be the victim's daughter, who lives in New Zealand, requesting help making payments due to a broken phone.

It's disheartening to hear that Nina Merrilees' experience is not an isolated incident. According to a recent report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost a staggering $1.8 billion to scams in 2021, which is a record high.

The report, which is based on an analysis of over 560,000 reports and data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, major banks, and money remitters, estimates that the actual losses are much higher than the reported amount.

Furthermore, the ACCC has received over 9,700 reports of 'Hi Mum' scams in 2022, totalling losses of nearly $7.2 million. It's a concerning trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

To make matters worse, scammers are now using alpha tags (a name or a string of text that appears in place of a phone number as the sender ID), making it even more difficult to identify a scam. In this new variant of the scam, the message appears to be from a genuine family member, complete with the contact details and all, making it harder to detect.

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It's important for us to be aware of such scams and to always be wary of who we are sending money to. Credit: Unsplash/ROBIN WORRALL.

This experience is a reminder that scammers are constantly devising new and sophisticated ways to deceive and manipulate their victims.

It's crucial to be vigilant and cautious, especially when it comes to unsolicited requests for money, even if they seem to come from a trusted source. Always double-check with the person directly, preferably through a different communication channel, and never rush into making a payment.

If you're ever looking for the latest information on scams and other similar incidents, the Scam Watch forum on the SDC website is the place to go! Make sure to check it out and stay informed.

Members, do you have any other tips for avoiding scams like this? Or have you ever gone through a similar experience? Share your stories and any experiences you have in the comments below!

 

[kerrikennel]

This has been said again and again.....check before sending money. If your "kid" sends you a new number via whatsapp, RING them. Rung their old number. You'll soon find out if it's legit or not.

 

[Mr Chips]

Criticism of this lady is fairly heavy but she would probably not deal with this scam very often and regardless of everybody's expert knowledge of this scam, this lady was probably overcome by emotion at the time and she has to be forgiven for that. I would like one day to be able to fly to Mubai and wring the necks of these perpetrators of human suffering. They deserve to suffer the worst possible punishment that can be inflicted. I am genuinely sorry for the lady.