Lloyds Bank alerts Britons to scam which starts with a WhatsApp message | Personal Finance | Finance
Lloyds Bank has stressed its worry following a spate of so-called ‘Hi mum’ scams which have been circulating on WhatsApp. Individuals receive a message which appears to be from their daughter, son, grandchild or friend, stating they have a new number.
It is used as a hook to convince Britons to transfer money which could leave them out of pocket and devastated at what has happened.
One such convincing message read, “Hi mum, it’s me – this is my new number. You can save this number and delete the old one.
“I’ve lost all my files and images, I thought I saved everything in the backup but nothing is there.
“It’s been the worst day ever for me. I’ve got bills I need to pay, but I can’t get into my online banking because it’s on my old phone and this number is not registered to my bank.
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The message is not from a family member or friend, but part of an elaborate ruse designed to make Britons part with their cash.
What the scammer wants is for a person to message back, believe their story and then transfer money to an account they dictate.
The fraudsters can then make off with the cash, leaving their victim none the wiser until it is too late.
This type of scam could target anyone with WhatsApp, and so it is vital people stay vigilant.
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Those who receive a message like this should never respond, Lloyds Bank states.
Instead, they should just delete the message in order to protect themselves from being reeled in.
In addition, individuals can do their own checks by calling their family or friend to check it is real.
Lloyds Bank added: “Use a number you trust, like the one saved in your phone.
“Never call the number from the message.”
When receiving a message out of the blue, individuals should always take their time to think carefully before responding.
Money should never be moved and payments never made for a message that comes from nowhere.
If someone feels they have been targeted by a scam, they should reach out to their bank promptly to see if they can be protected.
They can also report the matter to Action Fraud, who will look into the issue to keep Britons safe.
