Look out for text messages that appear to be from a family member claiming to have damaged their phone and asking you to message them back on a different number. It could be scam.
Reports to the ACMA about ‘Hi mum’ scams are increasing again. Greeting you as ‘mum’ or ‘dad’, the sender claims to have lost or broken their phone and requests you message them back, on a new phone number or via another app.
These messages will have a sense of urgency. The sender may claim that they’ve lost or damaged their phone, for example by getting it wet or dropping it, and will urge you to respond as soon as possible via SMS or WhatsApp.
These scams are ultimately designed to trick you into handing over money or financial information to a scammer on the belief that you are communicating with a loved one.
Do not reply directly to the message.
If you’re concerned, call or contact your relative on the number already stored in your phone to confirm whether it's real. Never change the contact details in your phone or send money without being sure you are talking to the real person.
Scammers target everyone. Learn more about how to protect yourself from phone scams on the ACMA website or make a report to Scamwatch.
We encourage Australians to discuss how to identify scams with friends and family.
If you fall victim to a scam, contact your financial institution and phone provider and let them know what’s happened as quickly as possible.
IDCARE can help if your identity has been compromised or stolen on 1800 595 160 or at https://www.idcare.org/.