“Hey mom,” the first message starts. “I lost my phone.” It goes on with a sad tale: somehow, the sender can’t access their bank account either.
Fortunately, friends often have theirs available to help. It was their device that revealed the message. They might also ask for help with rent or other urgent bills that seem to have piled up.
Messages usually come through WhatsApp or text. And it’s not always kids behind these scams. Sometimes they act as friends, and other times they claim to be parents.
Data from Santander reveals that among bank customers, scammers pretending to be sons have the highest success rate, followed by those posing as daughters and mothers.
Chris Ainsley, who heads fraud risk management at the bank, mentions that fraud is changing at “breakneck speeds.” He points out, “AI voice impersonation technology is now used to craft audio messages for WhatsApp and SMS, making scams more convincing.”
What Does Fraud Look Like?
A seemingly friendly message from someone who claims to be close to you often comes from an unknown number. If you don’t reply, they might try again before giving up. If you engage, the fraudster is likely to keep up the conversation, but they can be vague.
Rapidly, they’ll mention needing money for something urgent, pressuring you to act fast.
A “sender” might claim there’s a problem with their regular bank account and ask you to send funds to an unfamiliar one.
What the Message Asks For
They’ll typically request cash to get a new phone or to cover living expenses.
The banking details provided will often belong to someone else. The scammer might say it’s a “friend” or someone they owe money to—usually, the total isn’t a small amount. These accounts are either used directly by scammers or third parties meant to launder money.
What to Do
If you’re concerned that your loved one is genuinely in a tight spot, double-check by calling their regular number. Don’t worry if there’s no answer right away.
You can ask about personal details only they would know.
Which ones? Setting up a family password could be a good strategy for future protection against this type of scam; it could help verify who’s really on the other end.
If you’ve already sent money, contact your bank immediately to see if you can halt any payments.
You can report suspicious WhatsApp messages directly through the app by clicking on the message.
Forwarding fraudulent texts to 7726 is another way to alert your phone provider.
Additionally, you can report scams to Action Fraud.
Whenever trying to send money, always be honest about what’s happening, and don’t feel pressured by messages.
