Understanding the Hi Mum Scam and How to Protect Your Family from Impersonation Fraud
Updated: Oct 26
“Hi Mum, I’ve lost my phone. This is my new number.”
It looks harmless, and it sounds like something your son or daughter might really send. Across the UK, including Essex, this simple message is the first step of a scam that has cost families thousands of pounds. Knowing how it works is the best protection.
What is the Hi Mum scam?
The Hi Mum scam, sometimes called the Hi Dad scam, is a type of impersonation fraud. Scammers text or WhatsApp pretending to be your son or daughter, say they have lost or broken their phone, and ask you to save a new number. The first message asks for nothing, which is exactly why it works: it lowers your guard.
How the scam works
Step 1: The first message
A message arrives from an unknown number saying it is your child with a new phone. It feels normal, so many people reply without a second thought.
Step 2: Building trust
The scammer keeps the chat going with friendly small talk. There is still no request for money, so nothing seems wrong.
Step 3: Creating urgency
Then the tone changes. The scammer says they need to pay a bill urgently but cannot get into their banking app, and asks you to pay it for them and they will pay you back. The money usually goes to an account in someone else’s name.
Why it works
Parents want to help their children, especially in an emergency. The friendly build-up makes the request feel believable, and the urgency leaves little time to stop and check.
How to protect your family
Check the number first. Call your child on their old number, or ask another relative, before replying to a message from a new one.
Agree a family code word. A word only your family knows makes it easy to check someone is who they say they are.
Never send money on a message alone. Real emergencies can wait the few minutes it takes to phone and check.
Talk to parents and grandparents. Tell them about this scam and ask them to call you if they ever get a message like it.
Turn on two-step verification. This helps stop scammers taking over your own WhatsApp account.
If you think you have been scammed
Contact your bank straight away, or call 159 to be put through to them, and ask them to try to stop the payment.
Report it to Report Fraud, the national fraud reporting service, at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
Forward scam texts, free, to 7726, and use the report option in WhatsApp.
Change passwords if you shared any account details, and tell your family what happened so they can watch for follow-up attempts.
Staying alert as a family
Scammers rely on familiar voices and trusted relationships. Verify new numbers, question urgent money requests and keep talking to each other. Sharing what you know protects everyone around you.
If you worry about a parent living alone, regular company and a friendly face popping in can make a difference. Essex Home Support offers non-medical home help from £27 an hour, with no contract. See our home help services or call 07719 634112.
