How to recognise a ‘Hi Mum’ WhatsApp scam
Someone posing as a family member may say they have a new number and need help paying a bill.
Red flags to look for
- An unfamiliar number claiming to be your child or another relative.
- A broken phone story followed by an urgent payment request.
- Avoiding a call or asking you to keep the request secret.
What to do next
- Call your family member on the number you already know.
- Wait until you have spoken to them before sending money.
- Agree a simple way to double-check unusual requests together. You can paste the message into the checker.
Guidance supports your judgement; it cannot establish that a message is definitely safe.
Further reading: National Cyber Security Centre ↗