PARENTS have been warned about a terrifying new scam which sees con artists posing as family members to steal information.
A tech expert has now revealed how to avoid handing thousands over to the crooks.
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The Chartered Trading Standards Institute said both parents and children should be aware of the scam.
In some of the terrifying messages, the scammers were pretending to be a child who lost their phone.
One read: “Broke my phone Mum. Can you text my new number on 07425218812 I’m messaging you from a friends phone x.”
Another said: “Heya mom, I’ve upgraded my O2 contract so my old n.o is now out of use. Pop me a message on my new one at 07742844550 so I can save your contacts okay x.”
The messages may seem legitimate, but are the first stage in an elaborate phishing scam which could see your personal data at risk.
To avoid the scam, experts recommend calling the original number to see if the message is genuine.
If that doesn’t work, ask them a question such as “What colour is dad’s car?” or “what colour is our front door?” to establish if it’s legitimate.
Make sure to never pass on details or bank information unless you are certain the person is your child or parent.
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Lead officer for scams at CTSI Katherine Hart said: “Having the freedom to go out and explore the world is a crucial part of being young, and parents are often understandably worried about whether their children are safe and can be contacted in case of an emergency.
“Scammers know this, and they exploit that concern by posing as family members, with the ultimate aim of harvesting personal information.
“We advise anyone who receives a message like this out of the blue to take just a few moments to double-check that it is genuine. Doing so could save you from a lot of trouble later on.”
Last year, a consumer expert revealed the way to find out if a message is a scam.
Alice Beer has revealed exactly what red flags to look for.
She told This Morning’s Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby that people need to be extra careful during the cost-of-living crisis.
Ms Beer outlined some of the signs that the messages are fake.
She said: “Sense of urgency, dodgy link, asking for information, dodgy email address – they are all warning signs. Don’t get conned, please.”
