Hi Mum, this is my new number, my phone fell in the sink 😩 Can you delete the old one? Also I need a small favour, can you message me back when you see this? x
It arrives from an unknown number, it sounds exactly like your son or daughter, and it asks for nothing - at first.
Short answer: treat any "new number" message as a scam until you've heard the person's voice. This is one of the highest-earning scams in the UK and Europe, and it works on careful people because the first message is harmless.
How it unfolds
- The hook. "New number, phone broken." You save it, reply, maybe ask how they are. The scammer keeps it vague - "long story, tell you later".
- The favour. Within an hour: a bill that needs paying today, a phone that needs replacing, a card that's "locked because of the new phone". They can't do online banking without the phone, so could you pay it and they'll transfer it back tomorrow?
- The details. A bank account that isn't in your child's name ("it's the shop's account", "my friend's account because mine is locked").
- The second ask. If you pay once, another urgent bill follows within a day.
Ten-second check
Call the old number. If your child answers, you're done. If it goes to voicemail, call the new number and ask to hear their voice. Scammers will always find a reason they can't talk: "mic is broken", "in a meeting", "can only text". A real person who just lost their phone will be relieved to hear from you.
Some families agree a safe word for exactly this. It takes one dinner conversation and stops the scam cold.
Other versions
- "Hi Dad", "Hi Nan", or your child's actual name (pulled from social media).
- The message comes on SMS or Facebook Messenger instead of WhatsApp.
- A "friend abroad who's been robbed and needs money for the flight home" - the older version of the same script.
What to do
- Don't pay anything to an account that isn't your child's own.
- Ring the number you already have for them. Speak to them.
- If you already sent money: call your bank immediately and report it as a scam payment. Banks can sometimes recall a transfer if you're fast.
- Report the number in WhatsApp (open the chat → tap the name → Report) and block it.
Not sure? Paste it
Paste the message into Scamed - the "new number + favour + someone else's account" pattern is one it recognises instantly.