The “Hi Mum” scam

A message from an unknown number claims to be your child with a broken or lost phone, then asks you to pay an urgent bill. The payment goes to an account the scammer controls.

What it looks like

WhatsApp · Unknown number

Hi it's me, my phone broke so this is my new number 😩 can you pay this payment request for me? I'll pay you back tomorrow ❤️

How it usually ends

It wasn't your child. 'Hi Mum/Dad' scams use exactly this script, in every language.

Red flags

New number claiming to be family
Known 'Hi Mum' script
Payment to an unrelated account

What to do

Call your child on their old, known number before doing anything.
Never pay a bill into an account in someone else’s name because of a text.
Agree a family code word for emergencies.

Could you spot it in the moment?

In Painted Sky you’re born at random somewhere on Earth and live a whole life — and this scam is one of the fakes that can find you. Make the call yourself, then replay the same life with a lens that shows what was fake.

Play Painted Sky — free →