Which? magazine has highlighted an increase in scammers attempting to prey on parents as the heartless ‘friend in need scam’ begins to appear on text messages and What’sApp.
The fake message usually starts along the lines of “Hi Mum, my phone just broke and I’m texting you off a friends phone. Can you WhatsApp my new number xxxxx xxxxxx”
Needless to say, any text conversation inevitably leads to a request for money. You should avoid responding in any way and report the message to ActionFraud.
You can read the full Which? article here: