The scam, in which criminals pose as the recipients' children and pretend to have changed cell phone numbers, has been on the rise again in recent times. This alarming development shows that more and more people are being scammed out of money by fraudsters via WhatsApp and children's SMS messages. This scam has been rampant for around two years and users are still falling victim to this nasty scam. ( for an overview of our warnings on this topic )

This is how the scam works

Those affected receive a seemingly harmless message, either via an SMS or a WhatsApp message, which mentions a new cell phone number. However, anyone who responds will soon be confronted with an emotionally charged story about financial difficulties and an urgent need for money. These perfidious fraudsters take advantage of parents' worries to get money.

Fake children's messages via SMS and WhatsApp


Screenshot: Fake children's messages via SMS and WhatsApp
Screenshot: Fake children's messages via SMS and WhatsApp

Given the alarming increase in such scams, it is of utmost importance to raise public awareness and warn against this scam. Parents should be particularly vigilant and speak to their children immediately if they receive suspicious messages. Reacting quickly can prevent you from falling victim to these brazen scammers.

NOTE: If your child, grandchild or someone else asks you for support, never do so via WhatsApp. Instead, dial the existing (old) number and call the person directly and ask whether the WhatsApp message or SMS came from the person you know. Never transfer money to someone who cannot clearly identify themselves to you as the person in question.

We at Mimikama would like to give you some important tips to protect yourself from this type of fraud:


  1. Does not automatically save unknown numbers of supposedly known people.
  2. Ask the person you know on the old number whether there really is an emergency situation. It's best to call and don't act hastily if you can't reach them.
  3. Be suspicious if the person with the unknown number doesn't want to make calls, even if they give a convincing reason why.
  4. As soon as demands or requests for money are made, alarm bells should ring, whether by post, email, telephone or messenger services such as WhatsApp.
  5. Pay attention to the security settings of your messaging service.
  6. Share your experiences with those around you and warn friends and family about such scams.

If you have already fallen victim to the “Hello Mom/Hello Dad” scam, we at Mimikama recommend the following steps:


  1. Always file a criminal complaint.
  2. Make no further monetary payments.
  3. Inform your bank in order to stop or reverse any cash flows that may have taken place.
  4. Block the scammer's number to stop receiving further messages.

We emphasize how important it is to protect those around you from such fraud attempts and to remain vigilant.


WhatsApp: We ask for your help. Share this graphic in Messenger!

We are happy to offer you a graphic template to download to warn and educate family and friends via messenger or social media.

MIMIKAMA

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Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )