WhatsApp 'Hi Mum' Scam UK: Spot a Fake Family Text

A message from your son, daughter, or parent saying they've got a new number — but it's actually a criminal trying to manipulate you into sending money.

By Alex Bacsa · Published 2026-04-21 · Updated 2026-06-29 · 6 min read

What the "Hi Mum" WhatsApp scam looks like

A WhatsApp message arrives from an unknown number claiming to be your son, daughter, or another relative who has lost or broken their phone and is messaging from a "new number". Once you reply, they invent an urgent problem and ask you to send money fast. An example of the style is: Hi Mum, I dropped my phone and this is my temporary number. I am locked out of banking and an £820 bill is due today - could you pay it for me? I will sort you out tomorrow x.

It is built to feel like a real family emergency, so you act before you check. This guide shows how to spot it, how to verify it really is your family, and what to do if you have already paid.

Why this scam works

It hijacks the instinct to help your own child or relative, and manufactured urgency stops you pausing to check. The scammer avoids a phone call - the broken or lost phone is the excuse - because a live call could expose them. They may know names and family details from social media, a data breach, or a compromised account, which makes the message feel personal.

The rule that protects you is simple: never send money because of a message from a "new number" until you have spoken to the real person on a number or channel you already trust.

Signs a "new number" message is a scam

• A family member or friend messages from an unknown or "new" number.
• They say they have lost, broken, or been locked out of their phone.
• There is an urgent money request: a bill, rent, travel, or being locked out of banking.
• You are asked to pay a new account, or to act before a deadline today.
• They make excuses not to take a phone or video call.
• The account has no profile photo, or one that changed recently.
• The story escalates, or a second "relative" messages to back it up.

How the scam works, step by step

First, a message arrives from a new number claiming to be family. Second, they explain the phone problem so you will not call the usual number. Third, they build a believable emergency with a deadline. Fourth, they send bank details and ask for a transfer, sometimes in stages. Fifth, the money lands in a mule account and may be moved on quickly.

Because you authorise the payment yourself, recovery depends on speed, scope, and your bank's assessment. Verifying before you send is the strongest protection.

How to check it really is your family

If a "new number" asks for money, stop and verify on a channel you trust.

• Call the person on the number you already have saved, or video call them through a known account. Do not rely on the new number.
• Ask a question only the real person could answer.
• Treat any reason they give for not being able to talk as a warning sign.
• Never transfer money, share a bank one-time code, or read out card details based on the message alone.
• Agree a family safe word to confirm genuine emergencies in future.

If you are unsure whether a linked page or login is genuine, our guide on Is This Website a Scam? A Practical Checklist Before You Buy helps, and our impersonation scams when criminals pretend to be your bank or the police guide covers impersonation more widely.

If you have already paid or replied

Act quickly. If you sent money, contact your bank immediately using the number on your card, tell them it was a scam, and ask them to try to recover the payment and stop any further transfers.

If you sent money by UK bank transfer on or after 7 October 2024, mandatory APP fraud reimbursement rules may apply to eligible Faster Payments and CHAPS transfers. The PSR rules include a 13-month claim window, reimbursement within 5 business days in many cases, a maximum claim amount of £85,000, possible exclusions, and a possible excess of up to £100. The rules do not cover every payment type or every situation, so report it to your bank as soon as possible.

If you shared a one-time code or card details, ask the bank to secure the account. Report the account inside WhatsApp using Report and Block. Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification in Settings > Account > Two-step verification, and never share your WhatsApp registration code with anyone. If you shared identity details, consider Cifas Protective Registration at cifas.org.uk and monitor your credit reports with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Keep the messages and the number as evidence.

How to report a WhatsApp family scam (UK)

Report the account inside WhatsApp using the app's Report and Block option. If the same scam also reached you as an ordinary SMS, forward that text to 7726. If a phishing link arrived by email, forward it to the NCSC at report@phishing.gov.uk.

If you lost money, shared sensitive information, or were hacked, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101. Tell your bank straight away if money moved, and keep the chat, the number, and any payment references.

Frequently asked questions

Reporting routes in this guide are checked against our verified canon of official UK sources — Action Fraud, the National Cyber Security Centre, and Citizens Advice — by an automated accuracy gate before publication. Fact-checked and updated by Alex Bacsa, Founder & Editor, on 2026-06-29. Read about how Beat the Scam writes guides.