A deceptive text message scam, dubbed the "Hi Mom" scam, is targeting parents by fabricating a family emergency involving a broken phone. The scam begins with a text from an unknown number, often stating, "Hi mom, text me here on my work phone. Dropped my actual phone in the sink earlier and it’s completely unresponsive now."
This tactic is designed to create an immediate sense of urgency and concern. Scammers exploit the natural parental instinct to help a child in distress. By using a plausible excuse for a child to be texting from an unfamiliar number, the scammer aims to bypass initial suspicion before asking for money or personal information. The message avoids obvious red flags like suspicious links, making it appear more personal and less like a typical scam.
"Every word in the scam text has a job," according to one report. The greeting "Hi mom" attempts to forge an emotional connection. The instruction to "Text me here" directs the recipient to communicate on the scammer's terms, often moving the conversation to a new, unknown number. This "handoff" is a critical warning sign, as it attempts to pull the recipient deeper into the trap before they can verify the story. The excuse of a "work phone" explains the unfamiliar number, while the detail about dropping the phone in the sink provides a believable reason for the device's alleged malfunction and inability to receive calls.
Once a parent replies, the scammer escalates the situation. Requests can range from needing money for a replacement phone to asking for payment for bills due to a locked banking app. Scammers may also push victims to use payment apps like Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App, or request gift cards or cryptocurrency, which are difficult to trace and recover.
Another dangerous tactic involves asking for a one-time security code. Scammers may claim this code is necessary to restore the phone, verify an account, or fix a payment issue. Sharing such a code can grant scammers access to bank accounts, email, Apple ID, Google accounts, or phone carrier accounts.
To protect against this scam, experts advise never replying to suspicious messages. Instead, recipients should contact the alleged sender directly using a phone number already saved in their contacts. If unable to reach the family member, other trusted methods should be used. Asking a specific, personal question that only the real family member would know can also help verify their identity. It is crucial to pause before sending money, especially when prompted by an urgent text message, and to be particularly wary of payment methods like Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, gift cards, and cryptocurrency.
If a verification code is requested, it should never be shared, as a legitimate family member would not require such a code. Reporting and blocking the scam message is also recommended. On iPhones, this can be done by tapping "Report Spam" or "Report Junk." Texts can also be forwarded to 7726, which spells SPAM. Android users can block the sender and report the conversation as spam within Google Messages.
Should someone accidentally reply to a scam text, the advice is to stop texting immediately, take a screenshot of the conversation, and then call the real family member. If a verification code was shared, affected account passwords should be changed immediately, and recent account activity should be reviewed. If money was sent, contacting the bank or payment app promptly is crucial.
Utilizing strong antivirus software and data removal services can also add layers of protection by securing devices and reducing the amount of personal information available to scammers online. These services can help mitigate the risk of scammers using personal details to make their deceptive messages more convincing.