Hello Mother…Hello Father…. #Stop!ThinkFraud

Good afternoon,

Once again, we are receiving an increasing number of reports of residents responding to “Hi Mum/Dad” texts and messages purporting to be their adult children asking for money.  Presumably, wishing to be helpful they then transfer money to a bank account held by someone who is not their offspring.

Please take the Home Office advice to Stop! Think Fraud when someone asks for money and double-check with the person requesting via another communication method.

For more advice about this type of scam please see: BBC One - Rip Off Britain - Scam text message advice https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1KtC7rSs7P5lgcZlhWjm3St/scam-text-message-advice

If this isn't relevant to you, please share it with someone who might be interested.

If you've been affected by a crime please contact Victim Care Hub for free, confidential support: Home - Hampshire Victim Care Hub (hampshireiowvictimcare.co.uk) or phone 0808 178 1641

If you would like to report a crime anonymously please contact: Independent UK charity taking crime information anonymously | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org) or phone 0800 555 111

Hampshire Alerts is not a crime reporting portal – please do not report crime here.

If you realise you’ve been scammed and wish to report a fraud that has already happened, please report it to Action Fraud either phone 0300 123 2040 or online at: Action Fraud

If a crime is in progress, and/or you are in fear for yourself or someone else, and/or there is evidence in situ that could be damaged/destroyed, please phone 999 immediately. 

Otherwise, report online, or find out about other ways to report a crime at: Report a crime | Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary

Thank you – Fraud Safeguarding Team