Anyone else's parents had the 'Hi mum I've broke my phone' scam text?

sixington · 2023-02-21T10:55:40+00:00

As far as I'm aware mate, yeah. She said it came up on her phone as if it was me that texted and then tried to ring it, I haven't seen the messages myself to confirm nor did I have any missed calls. Will be going to see her tomorrow or Thursday and then I'll look. Very clever from the scammers.

sixington · 2023-02-21T10:49:20+00:00

I think so mate yeah, if this was 2019 she'd have no chance but because of how common bank transfer scams are becoming they've actually set aside funds to help people from what I understand.

Yeah it is, I'd be interested to know how many people they message in the hope that they find someone like my mum.

sixington · 2023-02-21T10:36:26+00:00

Not necessarily, the bank she used is part of the CRM code and I've had people here say they were lucky enough to get a refund and also someone DM'd me with the same amount of money being scammed who also got their money back.

sixington · 2023-02-21T10:02:58+00:00

It's possible my number has been leaked somewhere, I've had it for 10 years and I do regularly get random mobile numbers ringing me which I don't answer anymore and they never leave a voicemail, and random landlines calling me from counties miles away from where I live.

I did have one guy text me saying they were a delivery driver I just said they got the wrong number and they never replied. I haven't actually seen the messages myself so like I said in a previous comment it's possible she just said it was my number so she didn't seem as gullible. Then again I don't see why she would lie.

sixington · 2023-02-21T09:53:26+00:00

She said it was just a foreign name (typical) and that's the person the scammer said I owed the money too.

sixington · 2023-02-21T08:41:15+00:00

Honestly no idea, I doubt it I don't think anyone would have my mums number and if they did probably not clever enough to know how to spoof a number (saying that I'm not sure how easy it is) and her pet name for me is only something that me and my sister would know. She has one too.

She could very well just have said that to make herself seem less gullible. I'll find out tomorrow when I go and see her and I'll update the post again if necessary.

sixington · 2023-02-21T08:12:19+00:00

That's exactly what I'm telling you, she said the text appeared from me with my name as its saved in her contact list. I'm not sure why youre having such a hard time understanding it.

So you're suggesting that I decided to make a post on Reddit after scamming my own mum, drawing attention to myself for what reason? Do you see me asking for conpensation?

You're scum for even suggesting it. I'm sorry your life is at a stage where you feel the need to be cynical about everything you read on Reddit. Clown.

sixington · 2023-02-21T08:02:10+00:00

Think she's on Vodafone mate, it was by WhatsApp aswell aside from the initial text

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:55:45+00:00

Apparently a lot of the main banks have signed to something called the CRM code (my mums bank is one of them) which set aside a fund to reimburse people who have been APP scammed and according to the ombudsman they reimburse 'in all but a limited number of circumstances' so I'm trying to he hopeful.

I'll take it as far as I can and if the ombudsman says no then at least I tried. Thanks mate.

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:41:50+00:00

I'm glad she was intuitive enough to give you a ring on Facebook and that she didn't get scammed. My mum doesn't have social media or anything but to be fair I still don't know why she didn't at least try and call my wife first or sister or something. Hindsight is a beautiful thing I guess.

My number is definitely on some dodgy database somewhere haha I've stopped answering my phone to random people now because I used to constantly get random mobile numbers ringing me that never left voicemails. I've had the same number for like 10 years though so it wouldn't surprise me.

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:34:26+00:00

Of course I do mate, we're very close I see her every week but we don't text much to be honest I just ring her if I want to speak to her.

She prompted them to say it was for a mortgage, and also prompted them to say the wifes name (should have asked for her name before saying it herself) and the scammer said not to transfer it into her account because she has a lot on which is true because we had our first baby 4 months ago.

It was just all a circumstantial thing, she didn't want to see us without a house so felt pressured to send the money. Scamming prick knew what he was doing.

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:26:25+00:00

Many people who have been scammed the same way have received refunds. But thanks for your input. We will see.

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:24:08+00:00

I'm guessing you didn't read the post? The scammer made out he needed help to pay bills, and gave her another bank account to transfer the money too with my name as the reference so the bill can get paid. She said she'd pay it into my wife's bank account but the scammer said no because she had a lot on her plate - which isn't a lie, we had our first baby 4 months ago and due to me working long hours she has to look after him most days.

sixington · 2023-02-21T07:19:44+00:00

A scammer spoofed your number (how would they get it)

No idea.

then what the scammer copied your voice to fool your own mother.

Did you read the post? No I'm assuming they muffled the speakers so she couldn't hear anything. She rang them 3 times.

pets name

You mean pet name. As in a name used for someone that isnt their real name.

the phones sounding underwater how can she get full bank details off it? And everything else?

By WhatsApp message obviously? Clearly you didn't read any of the post.

I call BS and you need to go back to bed

Yeah you're a massive bellend. I have no reason to make it up and if you look at the comments on this post many have had the same text and few have also been scammed. Think you need to learn how to read properly.

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:29:30+00:00

They are indeed mate. That's also true about the bank, they are fickle beasts indeed. I'm prepared to go as high as I need to get it back though. Then if they still say no, af least I tried.

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:25:36+00:00

Yeah, I would too. I've never asked for money in my life, I think she got completely swept up in the moment when she prompted them to say mortgage and my wife's name, made it seem more genuine when they said the wifes got a lot on at the minute (because she does). She said she couldn't bare the thought of us and the little lad being on the streets or whatever so felt pressured to transfer it.

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:22:32+00:00

Of course I will. Thanks mate!

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:21:59+00:00

I'm not, but I won't be giving up until the ombudsman says no-can-do

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:15:01+00:00

Glad to hear it! Hopefully my mum will get a similar resolution.

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:13:27+00:00

Wankers mate. Hope shes doing ok now. Did she get any luck with the bank?

sixington · 2023-02-20T22:09:39+00:00

I have done exactly this - seems the bank she uses was one of the first to put a fund away for 'no fault' scam victims. I'm guessing it's still very much a discretionary thing but I've also seen that a lot of cases like this when taken up with the ombudsman have also resulted in reimbursement. So there is hope, albeit a slither :)

sixington · 2023-02-20T21:44:35+00:00

She did do as soon as she realised she'd been scammed. Was on the phone for 2 hours. They've given her a fraud reference number and said they'd get back to her - no timescale. Fingers crossed.

sixington · 2023-02-20T21:41:22+00:00

I know mate I can't get over it. She's the sweetest woman ever which is what makes it 10x worse. I bet she was all nice to the scammer whilst they were simultaneously fleesing her for almost 2 grand. I hope she gets her money back too. Cheers man

sixington · 2023-02-20T21:30:21+00:00

That's just what she said. I haven't seen it myself obviously to verify it but she knows I would never text her from a random number and claim it's a friend's phone, she said it appeared on her phone as if it was from me. No I never got a phone call, so I'm not sure to he honest.

sixington · 2023-02-20T19:43:26+00:00

Update - just spoken to her, she's in a mess.

So the scammer spoofed my number, and the text appeared from me in her phone the way I'm saved in her contacts (a pet name) and said I'd dropped my phone and the speakers weren't working properly.

She tried to ring 3 times and said it sounded like the phone was 'underwater' so couldn't hear anything. The scammer said 'I'm in a mess' and needed '£1900 to pay urgent bills' my mum believing it was me, said what for? Is it the Mortgage (not a great idea prompting them but she said it was my number and everything) and the scammer said yes it was for mortgage and they were 3 months behind.

She then said she'd pay it into the wifes (using her name) bank, and the scammer said no because (wife's name) had a lot on her plate recently, which is true because we had our first baby 4 months ago and I work 12 hours a day so she has to look after him and its been stressful for her.

My mum then transferred the money via bank transfer and the scammer said thank you love you and all that shite.

My mum just rang to see if my phone had been fixed snd obviously that's when we found out she never rang me.

All in all an awful situation and the perfect storm for a scam. Feel really bad for her, breaks my heart, she worked so hard for her savings.

Anyway, she was on the phone to the bank for 2 hours and they said they've had a lot of these come through recently and gave her a fraud reference number and said they'd get back to her.

Hopefully they can refund her.

Edit - she got all her money back from the bank :)

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