“Hi Mum” and Family Impersonation Scams in Australia: How to Spot Them
A message lands from a number you do not recognise. “Hi Mum, I’ve dropped my phone down the loo, this is my temporary number.” It sounds just like something your son or daughter would say, and within a few messages they need money, fast, because their banking app is not set up on the new phone yet.
This is the “Hi Mum” scam, and Scamwatch has had plenty of reports of it here in Australia. It works because it is gentle at first and then leans on the one thing most parents and grandparents will always answer: a child who says they are in a spot of bother. The good news is that once you know the shape of it, it is easy to stop. For more ways to protect yourself online, see our complete guide to staying safe online.
Quick answer
If a family member messages from a new number and asks for money or a code, do not send anything. Ring them on the number you already have saved, or call another relative who can check. A real family member will be happy for you to verify. A scammer will pile on the urgency. When in doubt, slow down and make that one phone call first.
How the scam works
It usually arrives by text or on WhatsApp. The opening message is friendly and a little vague, often just “Hi Mum” or “Hi Dad” with no name, because the scammer is sending the same line to hundreds of people and hoping someone replies.
Once you answer, the story fills in. They have lost or broken their phone, so this is a friend’s number or a temporary one. They ask you to save it and delete the old number. Then comes the real ask. A bill is due today, a payment has bounced, or money is needed urgently, and they cannot get into their own banking on the new phone. Could you just transfer it across, or buy a gift card, and they will pay you back tomorrow. The whole exchange is often dotted with the same warmth and little emojis your own child uses, which is exactly what makes it feel real.
Sometimes the request is not for money at all, but for a code that has just been texted to you. Handing that over can let a stranger take over an account in your name, so treat any request for a code the same way you would a request for cash.
The newer twist: a voice that sounds like family
If a text alone does not work, some scammers now send a short voice message that sounds like your loved one. With the tools available today, a few seconds of someone’s voice from a public video can be turned into a convincing clone. It is unsettling, but the defence is the same. A voice note is not proof. Hang up or set the phone down, then ring the person back on the number you trust.
The red flags
Signs it is a scam, not your family
- A message from a number you do not know, opening with “Hi Mum” or “Hi Dad” and no name.
- A reason they are on a new number, usually a lost, broken or water-damaged phone.
- A request to delete the old number and save the new one.
- An urgent need for money, a bank transfer, or a gift card, with a promise to pay you back soon.
- A reason they cannot take a phone call right now, which conveniently stops you hearing their real voice.
- Any request for a code that has just arrived on your phone.
How to protect yourself
Scamwatch’s advice on this one is simple and worth repeating: stop, think, breathe. The scam runs on a rush of worry, so the single most useful thing you can do is slow down for a minute. Nothing genuine falls apart because you took a moment to check.
Then verify, using a channel you already trust. Ring the person on the number saved in your phone. If they do not pick up straight away, do not panic, and do not act on the new message in the meantime. Try another family member who can confirm whether anything is actually wrong. Real emergencies survive a phone call. Scams do not.
One lovely, low-tech habit makes the whole thing far easier: agree a family code word. Pick a word only your family knows, never write it in a message, and use it whenever something feels off. If the person on the other end cannot give it, you have your answer. It costs nothing and it works just as well against a cloned voice as a dodgy text.
Finally, do not reply just to tell them off. Answering only confirms your number is live and tends to invite more attempts. Block the number and move on. For more on spotting dodgy messages in general, our guide on how to spot text message scams in Australia covers the wider pattern these all share.
If you have already sent money
First, take a breath. It happens to careful, switched-on people, and it is not your fault that someone set out to deceive you. Then move quickly. Phone your bank straight away on the number on the back of your card and tell them what has happened. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping or tracing the payment, though money sent willingly can be hard to recover, which is exactly why catching it early matters.
Report it to Scamwatch as well, at scamwatch.gov.au. It is free and confidential, and it helps build the picture that protects others. You can also forward a scam text to 7726, free of charge, to report it. If you handed over a code or a password, change that password and tell the relevant company. Our guide to what to do if you clicked a scam text link walks through the clean-up steps in plain English.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
FAQ: the “Hi Mum” scam
My child really did get a new number once. How do I tell the difference?
Easy. Ring the new number and have a proper chat, or call them on their old number to check. A genuine family member is happy to talk and prove it is them. Only a scammer gets cross when you want to verify.
Is it safe to just reply and ask who it is?
It is better not to. Replying tells the scammer your number is active, which can lead to more attempts. Check through a number you already trust instead, then block the unknown one.
They sent a voice message that sounded like my daughter. Could it still be a scam?
Yes. A short voice clip can be copied or faked. Treat it as you would a text. Set the phone down and call your daughter back on her known number before you do anything.
What is a family code word and how do we set one up?
It is a private word only your family knows, agreed out loud, never sent in a message. If anyone asks for money or help in a hurry, you ask for the word. No word, no transfer. Decide on one at the next family get-together.
Where can I report it in Australia?
Report to Scamwatch online at scamwatch.gov.au. If money has gone, phone your bank straight away. You can also forward a scam text to 7726 for free.
