My 'child' messaged from a new number asking for money — what should I do?

Before sending anything, call your son or daughter's usual number. If it's the scam, whoever is messaging will make excuses to avoid a phone call. Don't send money transfers without making that call first.

I already sent the money — can I get it back?

Call your bank immediately: the sooner you report it, the more chance there is of holding the transaction. Then report it to the police with screenshots of the chat.

Community watch against scams

"Hi mum, it's me": the child-in-trouble scam

A WhatsApp arrives from a number you don't know: it claims to be your son or daughter, that their phone broke, that this is their new number… and that they urgently need money. It's one of the most emotionally cruel scams, and that's exactly why it works.

🛡️ Paste your message here and check it free in 5 seconds

What the message looks like (real scam example)

WhatsApp from an unknown number — SCAM EXAMPLE

Hi mum, it's me. My phone broke, this is my new number. I need you to send me some money urgently, I'll explain later ❤️

The 4 tell-tale signs

New number + urgency + money: the exact combination of this scam.
They can't take a call: there's always an excuse ("my mic's broken", "I'm in a meeting"). A real child will get on the phone.
They ask for an immediate bank transfer, sometimes to "a friend's" account.
The tone is generic: it doesn't use your family nickname or mention anything only your family would know.

There's only one defence: call your son or daughter's usual number before sending a penny. The old, familiar one — not the new one. The scammer will always have an excuse for why you can't call; your real child will pick up or call you straight back.

What to do

Don't reply or send money. Call the usual number.
Block and report the number from within WhatsApp itself (Block → Report).
If you've already sent money, call your bank now to try to hold it, and report it to the police. Our emergency guide takes you through it step by step.

If you also gave away any personal details

Check our toolbox to see whether your email or password appears in known data breaches.

What if I've already fallen for it?

Breathe. You can act, and the sooner the better. We have a step-by-step emergency guide:

🚑 I've fallen for it: what to do right now, in order →

Other scams going around right now

📦 The fake courier SMS (ES) → ⚡ The "electricity company" call and unauthorised sign-ups (ES) → 🚗 The fake traffic fine (ES) → 💼 The fake WhatsApp job offer (ES) →

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