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Mobile Phone Scam

Alert message sent 08/02/2022 13:09:00

Information sent on behalf of Staffordshire Police

Mobile Messaging Scam

Staffordshire Police have received reports of people pretending to be their son or daughter and scamming money from victimsâ€¦

A message is sent to mobiles, often via WhatsApp, by someone pretending to be their son or daughter and claiming theyâ€™ve lost their phone or their phone is blocked. Once the new number is saved, scammers then say they need money after an incident, hoping that the victim will trustingly hand over money and their financial details.

To avoid falling for the scam, WhatsApp users should follow the STOP, THINK, CALL method.

STOP â€“ Take time before you respond. Make sure your WhatsApp two-step verification is switched on to protect your account, that you are happy with your privacy settings.

THINK â€“ Does this request make sense? Are they asking for money? Remember that scammers prey on peopleâ€™s kindness, trust and willingness to help.

CALL â€“ Verify that it really is your friend or family member by calling them directly, or asking them to share a voice note. Only when youâ€™re 100% sure the request is from someone you know and trust, should you consider it. If it turns out to be untrue, report it to Action Fraud.

If you think youâ€™ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at; actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040.

Message sent by

Teresa Nicholls (Police, PCSO, South Staffordshire)

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