Text & WhatsApp messaging Scam purporting to be from a family member

[Sean_D]

Hi Everyone,

Please be aware of a new scam doing the rounds.  The scams involve a text or WhatsApp message from a person claiming to be a family member and have the common aim of encouraging the recipient to transfer money.

In each case, a person purporting to be a family member, often a daughter or son, asks for money. Typically, the ‘child’ is short of money or late paying bills and makes a request for the recipient to transfer money into an account.  This is backed by a story that he or she has recently changed their phone or phone number.

Please remain vigilant and don’t get caught.  If you receive a message of this nature, please take the time to verify that the message is actually coming from your family member by making contact through reliable means.  Don’t enter into the dialogue through the same text or Whatsapp message.

Here is an example of a Whatsapp message in which the scammer pretends to be the daughter of the victim,

If you have shared bank details or made a payment as requested in the text then follow this advice;

•   If bank details were given out or you made a payment then contact your bank immediately and change your online banking passwords
•   Forward the text to 7726 (an easy way to remember this is that it spells out SPAM on the keypad)

Stay safe and please share this info with your friends and family. 

Cheers

Sean

[M_Lewis2]

This has just happened to me. Allegedly from a family member with a new phone.  Wanting me to pay a bill for £890!

[Leanne_T]

Hi @M_Lewis2

Thanks for coming here and letting us know. 

Could you forward the text to 7726 and we will get this looked into. 

Thanks 🙂

Leanne. 

[Glen68]

I often use the 7726 for sending texts but can’t forward a WhatsApp message to them 

Does this mean copying the text of every individual message and then texting it ?

[Jon_K]

Hello @Glen68. 

Welcome to the community.

What happens when you try forwarding the message?

Jon

[Glen68]

I have the 7726 number stored in my phone but when I search for it vi WhatsApp nothing shows so I am unable to forward it 

I have reported it via WhatsApp but don’t have any confidence in that 

[Jon_K]

Thanks @Glen68.

If you try to type the number rather than find the contact, does this work?

Thanks for reporting this to WhatsApp too.

Jon

[Glen68]

No sadly not 

For anyone who they try to scam the name on the bank account was 

Sarah Owusu with a sort code beginning 20-52 but once they realised they had been rumbled they deleted the message before I could screen shot it 

[SChuks70]

Thanks this just happened to me, I realised after a brief exchange and contacted my actual daughter who confirmed! 

Mobile no text came from +44 7754 981154

[XRaySpeX]

@SChuks70 : Report it to your network provider by forwarding the text to 7726 (S.P.A.M. on your keypad).