The police cybercrime squad warned Australians to be extra vigilant after more than $2 million have been lost to the “Hi Mum” text scam over the past few months.
“In just a matter of months, the losses accumulated by Australian victims of this scam easily surpasses $2 million when you consider the significant underreporting by victims of cybercrime generally,” said NSW Police cybercrime squad commander Matthew Craft.
More than half of all reports of “Hi Mum” scam victims to Australian law enforcement agencies come from NSW and Victoria, followed by Western Australia and Queensland.
The scheme entails the scammer texting someone from an unknown mobile phone number on a messaging app and pretending to be their kid.
The scammer will claim they have lost their phone and instruct the recipient to deactivate their old number and send messages to the new one they are using.
The fraudster then asks the user to lend them money or make a payment on their behalf once a conversation has been initiated. A justification for why they need it is provided, along with an assurance that they will repay the favor.
According to the police, the excuses are made to pressure the victim into taking immediate action.
(Photo from NSW Police)
Craft claimed that the scam’s theft is getting more extensive worldwide, including in Australia.
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Craft said, “Victims of the ‘Hi Mum’ scam date back to at least October last year overseas, but since May, we’ve seen a significant increase in reports not just here in NSW, but jurisdictions across Australia.”
Craft urged people to be on the lookout for dubious behaviours displayed by these scammers, such as their refusal to personalise any correspondence and their justifications for not being able to speak on the phone.
He said, “If you receive a suspicious message on your mobile, particularly through social media or encrypted messaging, reach out to your relative by an alternative method of communication or call to confirm it is in fact them.”
Since May, the Australian Cyber Security Centre has noticed a sharp rise in the amount of money and identity documents obtained fraudulently through the scam, especially among people 65 and older.
The proceeds of scams are typically immediately transferred from bank accounts to cryptocurrencies, making it impossible for the victims to retrieve their money.
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Source: 9news
Jaw de Guzman is the content producer for Comms Room, a knowledge platform and website aimed at assisting the communications industry and its professionals.
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