Protect your grandkids: New social media scam targets Messenger Kids app!
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As the digital age continues to evolve, so do the tactics of those with malicious intent.
In a concerning development, Australian parents are being warned about a new scam targeting children through the Facebook Messenger Kids app.
This alarming situation was brought to light by Kate Farley, a New South Wales mum, who experienced a chilling incident involving her seven-year-old daughter.
The Messenger Kids app, designed to be a safe space for children under 13 to chat with friends and family under parental supervision, has become the latest platform for scammers to exploit.
Farley recounted how her daughter received a video call from an unrecognisable string of digits and letters.
‘I had seen warnings about it online,’ she said.
‘I warned my seven-year-old straight away as she is always on there talking to her friends. I honestly never thought she would get a call from it, though.’
The situation escalated when, despite her daughter's insistence that she did not answer the call, Farley found the call had been answered upon reaching her daughter's room.
‘She started yelling out to me, “Mum, Mum, that really long number is calling me” and I screamed, “Don't answer it!”’ she said.
Oddly, the call was responded to.
‘She swore black and blue, and she never answered it, but when I got to her, it answered, and there was just silence, and I hung up straight away,’ Farley stated.
This incident is not isolated, with other concerned parents reporting similar occurrences on community Facebook pages.
In a separate incident, a woman mentioned that her daughter received a call from a lengthy number, and authorities traced it back to Germany.
‘It sounded like a two-way radio static, but you could hear it was a line, and they were listening,’ she wrote.
‘I have had notifications overnight ... activity of trying to log into our accounts.’
While no financial losses have been reported, the mere fact that children are being targeted is enough to cause alarm.
Experts like Lisa Du, director of Ready Tech Go, emphasise the need for vigilance.
While unaware of a phishing scam directly associated with Messenger Kids, she acknowledged the prevalence of similar scams on Facebook Messenger.
Scammers often impersonate users, create look-alike profiles, and send phishing messages to the victim's friends.
‘They can steal photos of real profiles, add friends and send phishing scam messages to their victim’s friends,’ she explained.
Du warned that scams targeting children often relate to gaming, where they may be tricked into clicking on malicious files, thereby granting hackers access to their accounts.
‘It can involve clicking on a file that is sent to them, and then hackers gain access to your account,’ she continued.
‘It’s important that kids talk to their parents about any money they’re spending online on games or apps they download. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t go ahead and tell a trusted adult.’
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) advises a three-step approach to avoiding scams:
Stop, Check, and Report. Assess the situation, question the message's legitimacy or call, and report any suspicious activity to Scamwatch.
‘Scammers can learn a lot about you from details you share on your social media accounts,’ a spokesperson said.
In similar news, a woman was left traumatised after being scammed out of $17,000 when she believed she was communicating with her bank’s fraud detection team.
The scam involved a fake Australia Post text message and a call from a fraudster posing as a bank employee. You can read more about this news here.
Have you or your family encountered similar scams? How do you approach the subject of cyber safety with the younger generation? We’d love to hear your insight in the comments below.
In a concerning development, Australian parents are being warned about a new scam targeting children through the Facebook Messenger Kids app.
This alarming situation was brought to light by Kate Farley, a New South Wales mum, who experienced a chilling incident involving her seven-year-old daughter.
The Messenger Kids app, designed to be a safe space for children under 13 to chat with friends and family under parental supervision, has become the latest platform for scammers to exploit.
Farley recounted how her daughter received a video call from an unrecognisable string of digits and letters.
‘I had seen warnings about it online,’ she said.
Australian mum warned of scam targeting children on Messenger Kids app. Credit: Shutterstock
‘I warned my seven-year-old straight away as she is always on there talking to her friends. I honestly never thought she would get a call from it, though.’
The situation escalated when, despite her daughter's insistence that she did not answer the call, Farley found the call had been answered upon reaching her daughter's room.
‘She started yelling out to me, “Mum, Mum, that really long number is calling me” and I screamed, “Don't answer it!”’ she said.
Oddly, the call was responded to.
‘She swore black and blue, and she never answered it, but when I got to her, it answered, and there was just silence, and I hung up straight away,’ Farley stated.
This incident is not isolated, with other concerned parents reporting similar occurrences on community Facebook pages.
In a separate incident, a woman mentioned that her daughter received a call from a lengthy number, and authorities traced it back to Germany.
‘It sounded like a two-way radio static, but you could hear it was a line, and they were listening,’ she wrote.
‘I have had notifications overnight ... activity of trying to log into our accounts.’
While no financial losses have been reported, the mere fact that children are being targeted is enough to cause alarm.
Experts like Lisa Du, director of Ready Tech Go, emphasise the need for vigilance.
While unaware of a phishing scam directly associated with Messenger Kids, she acknowledged the prevalence of similar scams on Facebook Messenger.
Scammers often impersonate users, create look-alike profiles, and send phishing messages to the victim's friends.
‘They can steal photos of real profiles, add friends and send phishing scam messages to their victim’s friends,’ she explained.
Du warned that scams targeting children often relate to gaming, where they may be tricked into clicking on malicious files, thereby granting hackers access to their accounts.
‘It can involve clicking on a file that is sent to them, and then hackers gain access to your account,’ she continued.
‘It’s important that kids talk to their parents about any money they’re spending online on games or apps they download. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t go ahead and tell a trusted adult.’
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) advises a three-step approach to avoiding scams:
Stop, Check, and Report. Assess the situation, question the message's legitimacy or call, and report any suspicious activity to Scamwatch.
‘Scammers can learn a lot about you from details you share on your social media accounts,’ a spokesperson said.
In similar news, a woman was left traumatised after being scammed out of $17,000 when she believed she was communicating with her bank’s fraud detection team.
The scam involved a fake Australia Post text message and a call from a fraudster posing as a bank employee. You can read more about this news here.
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