‘It’s just not right’: Mum loses $4,000 over this six-word text message
- Replies 10
In today's digital age, where communication is often reduced to quick texts and instant messages, it's easy to forget the dangers lurking behind our screens.
A mother's heartbreaking story serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability we all face when faced with sophisticated scams.
Heijin, a mother estranged from her son, Daniel Lee, fell victim to a cruel deception that exploited her longing for reconciliation and cost her thousands of dollars.
The scam began with a simple, six-word text message: 'Mum, my phone is not working.'
These words, seemingly innocent, were the bait used by scammers to prey on Heijin's hope that her son was reaching out after years of silence.
The message led to a phone call where a voice, possibly altered by artificial intelligence or vaguely resembling her son's, convinced her to part with a substantial sum of money.
'She thought it was me, so she went ahead and gave it a call, and according to her, it was someone that sounded like me,' Daniel said.
'He could have used AI, or he could have just not even sounded like me—my mum was so desperate to hear from me that she may have just thought a deep-voiced man was me.'
Heijin transferred a total of $4,000 into two separate bank accounts, believing she was helping her son with his bills and supporting his dancing career.
The cruel reality of the scam only came to light when mother and son finally sat down for a long-overdue lunch.
'She said she was glad to help me with money. I said, what are you talking about? I've never asked you for money,' Daniel recalled.
Heijin felt ‘sick to her stomach’ and couldn’t finish eating after realising she sent $4,000 to a stranger.
The emotional impact of this scam was compounded by the recent loss of the family pet, Ginger, who had been with them for 24 years.
'This was a devastating blow not just to her financially but also emotionally, as it took a toll on her sense of trust. Seeing her heart sink when I saw her realise she didn't send the money to me tore me up inside,' he wrote.
'I want to make sure she gets everything she's owed because it's just not right. I want to show her that I love her still.'
Daniel Lee's response to his mother's plight was to set up a GoFundMe page, not only to help recover the lost funds but also to show his love and support for his mother in the aftermath of the scam.
Scams like these are not isolated incidents.
The Rose family from Queensland also suffered a devastating loss when they were tricked into sending their $40,000 house deposit to fraudsters who had hacked into their email correspondence with a conveyancing law firm.
If you or someone else fell victim to a scam, you may report it to Scamwatch here.
You can also go to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.
Have you or someone you know ever encountered a similar scam? Share your experiences in the comments below.
A mother's heartbreaking story serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability we all face when faced with sophisticated scams.
Heijin, a mother estranged from her son, Daniel Lee, fell victim to a cruel deception that exploited her longing for reconciliation and cost her thousands of dollars.
The scam began with a simple, six-word text message: 'Mum, my phone is not working.'
These words, seemingly innocent, were the bait used by scammers to prey on Heijin's hope that her son was reaching out after years of silence.
Heijin fell victim to a scam with these six words in a text message. Credit: GoFundMe
The message led to a phone call where a voice, possibly altered by artificial intelligence or vaguely resembling her son's, convinced her to part with a substantial sum of money.
'She thought it was me, so she went ahead and gave it a call, and according to her, it was someone that sounded like me,' Daniel said.
'He could have used AI, or he could have just not even sounded like me—my mum was so desperate to hear from me that she may have just thought a deep-voiced man was me.'
Heijin transferred a total of $4,000 into two separate bank accounts, believing she was helping her son with his bills and supporting his dancing career.
The cruel reality of the scam only came to light when mother and son finally sat down for a long-overdue lunch.
'She said she was glad to help me with money. I said, what are you talking about? I've never asked you for money,' Daniel recalled.
Heijin felt ‘sick to her stomach’ and couldn’t finish eating after realising she sent $4,000 to a stranger.
The emotional impact of this scam was compounded by the recent loss of the family pet, Ginger, who had been with them for 24 years.
'This was a devastating blow not just to her financially but also emotionally, as it took a toll on her sense of trust. Seeing her heart sink when I saw her realise she didn't send the money to me tore me up inside,' he wrote.
'I want to make sure she gets everything she's owed because it's just not right. I want to show her that I love her still.'
Daniel Lee's response to his mother's plight was to set up a GoFundMe page, not only to help recover the lost funds but also to show his love and support for his mother in the aftermath of the scam.
Scams like these are not isolated incidents.
The Rose family from Queensland also suffered a devastating loss when they were tricked into sending their $40,000 house deposit to fraudsters who had hacked into their email correspondence with a conveyancing law firm.
If you or someone else fell victim to a scam, you may report it to Scamwatch here.
You can also go to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.
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