It almost always begins with: "Hi Mum". Police say they continue with something along the lines of "I've changed provider/lost/broken my phone – I'm temporarily using this number for now." Once the scammer receives a response from a concerned parent, they continue to pretend to be their child and eventually request money using the emergency as their reason for needing the funds. The most common tactic is claiming to have lost or broken their phone as a justification for a funds transfer, because they can't access their online banking, says the ACCC. The ACCC says scammers may also ask for personal information, which may then be used to scam other family members. Victims usually then transfer funds to bank accounts provided by the scammers, which are often set up fraudulently.
Nicholas McElroy, 'Australians have lost at least $7.2 million to the 'Hi Mum' scam. How does it work and why is it so lucrative for cybercriminals?', ABC'
