AI is making the ‘Hi Mum’ text message scam even MORE convincing: Here’s how to spot it

‘Hi Mum’.

It’s a message every mother will likely have received from their child at some point, and hardly one to be ignored.

In most instances it will be a completely innocent message from their child, but scammers continue to target unwitting parents with these so-called ‘Hi Mum’ scams, not to mention the equally common ‘Hi Dad’ opener.

As many as 15 per cent of people have been targeted by such scams, with 13 per cent of those who get the messages ultimately falling victim to a fraudster.

It is just one form of authorised push payment, or APP, scam, a type of fraud that is  increasingly common. A majority, 54 per cent, of the adult population have been targeted by an APP scam before.

Scammers contact parents posing as their child, using the ploy to gain their trust before trying to get them to send money to cover supposed payments.

And now, the fraudsters are increasingly using AI to create fake phone calls or even videos from the victim’s child. 

Mother’s day message: Scammers are targeting parents with so-called ‘Hi Mum’ scams

Mandy Lamb, managing director of Visa UK & Ireland, said: ‘Fraudsters are increasingly using emotional manipulation, particularly around special occasions like Mother’s Day, to exploit people.

‘The “Hi Mum” scam targets individuals by impersonating family members in distress and requesting money in an urgent situation.’

Lamb added: ‘These scams are especially cruel because they exploit a parent’s instinct to help their child, using panic and urgency to manipulate victims. 

‘It all starts with a simple message or call, something along the lines of “Hi Mum, my phone broke and this is my new number,” and before you know it, they are saying they can’t access their bank account, and asking for money.’

Claiming that their phone has broken gives scammers an explanation for why they are contacting through a different phone number, or that they are unable to access their bank account online to pay certain bills or rent.

In some cases, the scammer will string the parent along for a while to build trust. Often this includes contacting a parent using their device and asking them to save the new number and delete the old, and legitimate, number.

‘The scammers who use this approach are clever, building trust and rapport with the victim over the course of a few days to establish credibility,’ Lamb said.

Scammers are evolving

‘Hi Mum’ scams have been around for a while, but with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence among fraudsters it is becoming increasingly difficult tell the real thing apart from a scam.

Scammers are now able to employ AI to create convincing voice recordings and video recordings, and even real-time deepfake technology to replicate a victim’s child on calls.

Lamb said: ‘AI is making it easier for fraudsters to create ever more sophisticated and believable scams, and deepfakes are a powerful weapon in a fraudster’s arsenal. 

‘AI-generated voices and hyper-realistic videos make it harder than ever to tell real from fake, turning once obvious scams into convincing deceptions.

‘With AI and deepfake technology making scams more convincing through voice and video cloning, we urge people to remain vigilant about messages or contact from unknown sources.’

As many as 47 per cent of people said they are not confident that their family members would be able to identify a deepfake scam, while 65 per cent think AI will make voice impersonations more difficult to detect.

Lamb added: ‘When you receive a message from an unfamiliar number or something feels off, verify it through another platform. If you suspect you’ve fallen victim to this type of scam, take action immediately by contacting your bank to report it.’

How can you avoid the ‘Hi Mum’ scam?

Spotting a scam in the first instance can be easier said than done, especially if it appears to be your child making contact.

Even if it appears your child is contacting you from a new number, blaming it on their phone being broken or lost, it is best to call them on the phone number that you already have for them to check.

Often, a scammers message won’t be signed with your child’s name – because they don’t know it. Combined with an unknown number, this should start ringing alarm bells.

However, with masses of information available online and on social media, scammers may have ready access to material that will help them to convincingly impersonate your child.

Another tell-tale sign is the urgency with which a scammer will contact you. Scammers try to rush their victims so that they don’t stop to consider the situation.

‘The best way to stay safe? Slow down and verify through a different channel of contact,’ Lamb said.

If an unknown contact asks you to send money to them, do not do what they ask.

There are giveaways with AI, which, despite its progress, still has distinctive hallmarks that can be used to separate it form the real thing.

Lamb said: ‘Watch out for unusual expressions, unnatural eye movements, strange facial expressions, or robotic-sounding voices that don’t match lip movements. If body language feels off or shadows and lighting appear unnatural, trust your instincts.’

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