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What is `Hi Mum` scam that siphoned off $7.2 millions from the accounts of Australians this year?
Scammers always begin thier trap messages with `Hi Mum`, therefore, it`s called `Hi Mum` scam. The numbers of cases have increased phenomenally in Australia in the last three months, with scammers playing with the emotions` of people.
Highlights
- Over 11,000 Australians have been thugged by the scammers this year to steal around $7.2 million from their accounts.
- Scammers always begin thier trap messages with 'Hi Mum', therefore, it's called 'Hi Mum' scam.
- Overwhelming from the emotions of parenthood, the victims fall into the traps and send money to the scammers.
New Delhi: Scammers use different, ingenous, and creative ways to fraud innocents, even it means to playing with the emotions of people. Over 11,000 Australians have been thugged by the scammers this year to steal around $7.2 million from their accounts. The Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) has released the new figures indicating the phenomenal growth in the frauds in the last few months. The scam ‘Hi Mum’ has been looting the Australians throughtout the year by targeting people’s emotions.
What is the ‘Hi Mum’ Scam?
Scammers in Australia typically send a WhatsApp message to the scapegoat from an Unknown number, usually impersonating as a child. As it’s always started with ‘Hi Mum’, hence, it’s called ‘Hi Mum’ scam.
Once the victim gives the response on the message, mostly by concerned parent, these scammers impersonating as child request money giving the emergency reasons.
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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.
Overwhelming from the emotions of parenthood, the victims fall into the traps and send money to the scammers. So far this year $7.2 million has been reported stolen from at least 11,100 victims, the ACCC says. The number of victims impacted by the scam has increased tenfold from August, when the organisation reported that 1,150 Australians had fallen victim to the scam and total losses had reached $2.6 million.
Who are scammers’ targets?
Scammers are using the same technique as seen to use by big companies to send messages to potential customers en masse. However, their strategy seems to random. They try to send as many people as possible ensuring to get in the trap to some of them.