Is the "Hi Mum" text a scam?
Yes, almost always. A real child would not mind you ringing their old number to check. The scam is still going round: Which? reported it again in October 2026.
Arrives by Text, WhatsApp. Pretends to be: Your son, your daughter, a grandchild.
How to spot it
1Hi mum I'm texting you off a friends phone 2I've smashed mine and their phones about to die
Text published by: Which?, September 2022. We blacked out the dark parts.
- A new number from "your child"
- An excuse for why they cannot call
- Other signs to watch for
- An urgent bill and a request for money
- Bank details that are not the ones you know
How it works
A text or WhatsApp message starts "Hi Mum" or "Hi Dad". It says the phone is broken or lost, and gives a new number. Then comes an emergency: a bill to pay, and they cannot use their own bank app. They ask you to pay into an account, which is not your child's.
What to do
Do not send money. Ring your child on the old number you already have, or ask a question only they could answer.
Forward the text to 7726, then block the number. In WhatsApp, choose Block and Report.
If you have lost money, tell your bank now and report it to Report Fraud (reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040) with your screenshots; in Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101. If someone is coming to your home to collect money or cards, call 999.
Did you get this one? Tell us what happened: every detail helps us spot it.
Have you got a screenshot?
Tell us what happenedIt takes five minutes. We never publish anything you send us.
How we know
- Which? — "Hi Mum and Dad" scam spreads from WhatsApp to text (2022)
- Which? — The latest scam alerts
- Take Five — Impersonation fraud
