Every UK WhatsApp user placed on red alert and | Tech News

All WhatsApp customers – and those that ship texts by way of different platforms – are, as soon as again, being urged to watch out for worrying scams. It appears that cyber crooks are persevering with to make use of the notorious “Hi mum” assault in a bid to steal money from unsuspecting customers. If you have by no means heard of this rip-off earlier than, it is simple to see why some are being caught out. The menace often begins with a textual content that merely says, “Hi, mum” or “Hi dad”.

Once the sufferer responds, the online thieves then attempt to trick them into handing over money by pretending to be a member of the family who’s in bother.

It might sound far-fetched, however tens of millions of kilos have been handed to hackers utilizing this tactic, which is designed to really feel reliable. 

The follow-up texts which are despatched pile on the stress, usually saying the state of affairs is pressing to get people to behave earlier than they’ll suppose twice.

Action Fraud just lately reported that over £220,000 was misplaced within the UK alone between 2023 and 2025 to  ‘Hi Mum’ assaults.

“Scammers aren’t hacking devices, they’re hacking emotions,” Luis Corrons, Security Evangelist at Norton defined.

“These ‘Hi Mum’ messages weaponise trust, urgency and love. And that makes them more dangerous than any malware. This scam works not because parents are careless, but because they care.

“When you get a message out of your baby saying they’re in bother, your first intuition is to help. Scammers know that and exploit it.”

To add to the concern, it appears AI is now being used as well to create voice messages that sound just like the family member in need. These are then used by the scammers to increase the chances of an attack being successful.

Explaining more, Chris Ainsley, Santander’s head of fraud risk management, said: “We’re listening to of cases the place AI voice impersonation technology is getting used to create WhatsApp and SMS voice notes, making the rip-off appear ever more lifelike.

“If you’re ever asked for money out of the blue on any social or communication platform, verify the request by picking up the phone.”

Now, consultants at security firm Norton have supplied 5 very important suggestions on how you may shield your self from these assaults.

If you’re apprehensive concerning the ‘Hi mum’ assault, listed here are some methods to keep away from turning into the subsequent sufferer.

• Contact them in individual: Reach out to your baby utilizing the quantity you already know. This can shortly reveal whether or not one thing is off.

• Be cautious with generic language: If a message begins with “Hi Mum” or “Hi Dad” and sounds impersonal or not like your baby’s standard tone, be cautious.

• Question financial emergencies: Emotional stress is common in these scams. Stay calm and confirm the state of affairs earlier than making any choices.

• Consider a protected phrase: Agree on a phrase with your loved ones that can be utilized to substantiate id in pressing conditions.

• Stay up up to now: Learn about rising scams and make sure your cellphone is protected with trusted security software program.