Police issues warning after WhatsApp scam cons hundreds

Police at the Warrington branch of Cheshire Constabulary have warned people about a scam being carried out over WhatsApp and robbing people of their money. 

After receiving multiple reports of the scam, the police warned people living in the area to be vigilant. Scammers message people pretending to be a family member or friend who ‘needs help’.

The Cheshire Police shared a screenshot of a chat between the victim and the scammer, pretending to be her daughter. THe scammer told her that she had lost her phone and was “using her old one” with a new number. The scammer asks her for money as a ‘bill’ needed paying and the banking app wouldn’t work on her old phone.

The woman then asked the scammer if she can speak on the phone, but the scammer refused, saying the phone was very old. Cheshire is now warning residents to stop, think and call if they are suspicious they’re being scammed.

“We would like to warn residents against a scam that involves criminals contacting victims on WhatsApp and pretending to be their friend or a family member. Criminals will typically claim to be a family member and will usually begin the conversation with “Hello Mum” or “Hello Dad”, the force said in a Facebook post.

It added, “They will say that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged and will go on to ask for money to purchase a new phone, or claim that they need cash urgently to pay a bill. The criminal will supply their bank details for payment, with some coming back on multiple occasions until the victim realises they’ve been scammed.

“STOP. THINK. CALL. If a family member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person to confirm their identity. You can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on to the message bubble, select ‘Report’ and then follow the instructions.”

Cheshire Constabulary also issued more advice directly from Action Fraud for people who believe they are being scammed.

“Action Fraud advises that the public follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign to keep themselves safe from fraud. Stop; Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe, the post continued.

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“Challenge; Could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. Protect; If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud online at https://orlo.uk/UlZ53 or by calling 0300 123 2040.”