1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,480 Speaker 1: This is jam Nayson we Jonesy. 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 2: So called Mum and Dad scam has netted what two 3 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 2: point six million dollars? 4 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: That's right. It's dubbed the high Mum or Hey Mum scam. 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 1: It very TechEd, effectively tugs at the heart strings. Apparently 6 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: there's been over one thousand reports of this scam and 7 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: two thirds of the victims are women over fifty five. 8 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: How does it work? Well? Intriguingly, Milli, our executive producer, 9 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: has had experience with this. It happened to her mom, 10 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: Hello Millie. 11 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,440 Speaker 3: Hi, Yeah, this was not me, by the way. He 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 3: It was my brother that the scammer was trying to 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 3: be my little brother. 14 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: So the scammer was pretending to be your brother. 15 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 3: Yes, and messaged my mum on WhatsApp and starts off 16 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 3: by saying, because then they kind of lead you into it. 17 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:53,480 Speaker 3: So it says, Hi mom, this is my new phone number. 18 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,360 Speaker 4: My mum. So I just contexts my brother Hugh. 19 00:00:56,440 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 3: I love him dearly, but he is hopeless. So automatically says, 20 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: oh new number. This has got to be Hugh. Something's 21 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 3: happened to his phone. 22 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 4: She said, Is that you Hugh? 23 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,320 Speaker 3: Yes, says the scammer, and it sort of goes from 24 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 3: there and says, my phone fell in the sink, right, 25 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 3: and so it's drying out, but I've got some invoices 26 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 3: on my computer. 27 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:18,000 Speaker 4: I've just seen some invoices on my. 28 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: Computer that need to be paid immediately, and Mum just goes, oh, okay. 29 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 3: So mum was also in a rush. She was like 30 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,440 Speaker 3: on her way to the gym or something. She was 31 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 3: in the car. 32 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 2: Your mum's always in a rush, yes, a busy lady. 33 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: She's always doing all. 34 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, exactly. 35 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 3: And so the Hugh, who the scammer was being, Hugh 36 00:01:41,240 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 3: was being quite persistent, but not in a way that 37 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 3: mum was getting off guard, but just in a way 38 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 3: of Mum, I really need these invoices paid by today 39 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 3: or it's going to go up, so would you mind 40 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 3: paying them? And then Mum was like, yep, no worries, 41 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 3: but can you like, you'll obviously be able to pay 42 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,640 Speaker 3: me back, absolutely, it's just that I can't access my 43 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 3: internet banking right now because my phone in the sync 44 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 3: it's drying out. 45 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: And he was using a friend's phone. Yeah, so she 46 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: had to pay it into a different account, yes, his 47 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:09,960 Speaker 1: existing account. 48 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 3: No, because then he said, I need you to pay 49 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 3: it into my friend from Works account because my internet 50 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 3: banking isn't is on my. 51 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 4: Phone and so. 52 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 3: It's like, oh okay, and she said can you call me? 53 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 3: And he said, I'd love to, but my phone's trying out. 54 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 1: I don't have my phone but he could what about 55 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: the phone he. 56 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:32,079 Speaker 4: Was on exactly? 57 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 3: And I think that because Mum was in a rush 58 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 3: and I just wanted to help Hugh who seemed a 59 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 3: bit distressed about it, and to be honest, even the 60 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 3: language it sounded like my brother. It was like Mum 61 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 3: still now thinks maybe that was I don't know someone 62 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 3: who knows Hugh, who knew that he was a bit hopeless, 63 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 3: who you know, like she honestly still believes that someone 64 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 3: that might have known about, you know, background, but it's 65 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 3: not it's these scammers. 66 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 2: Without saying it was a lot of money, Yeah, it. 67 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 4: Was a lot of money. 68 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: She paid the thousands of dollars and then discovered it 69 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 1: wasn't you. 70 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 3: Yes, yeah, so she will, Yeah, the thing is the 71 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: next day. So then Mum said, can you call me 72 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,400 Speaker 3: later on tonight when you finish work? Said yep, no worries, 73 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 3: we'll do and then mom just went on and sort 74 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,240 Speaker 3: of I think she had a dinner that night, so 75 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 3: she'd forgotten that Hugh was meant to call her. Called 76 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 3: Hugh the next day and was like to Hugh's actual 77 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: number and said, Hi, why haven't you called me back? 78 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 3: You know, I've given you thousands of dollars and you 79 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 3: haven't called me back. And my brother was so confused 80 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 3: and was like, what are you talking about? And she 81 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 3: just her heart dropped and she was like, oh my god, 82 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 3: I've been scammed. 83 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: And if you went back at all those steps, you 84 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: could probably see where she'd filled in the blanks, assuming 85 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 1: it was here. This must be a scatter gun thing. 86 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:57,160 Speaker 1: They try a whole of people and maybe see by 87 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: her profile picture. As it says here, the victims are 88 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: mostly women over fifty five, presumably mothers who would be 89 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: sympathetic to their children who are in trouble. 90 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I love What'sapp, but I do not answer 91 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 2: any WhatsApp from anyone I don't know. 92 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, See, all it took was for if your mum 93 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:14,880 Speaker 1: had called Hugh on his existing number, but he said, 94 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:16,640 Speaker 1: don't bother, it's in the sync. There's no need to 95 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: you know, I've got this, Just deal with this and 96 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: then we'll talk about it later. Exactly can see how 97 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 1: it would happen. So there's probably a thousand times it 98 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: doesn't happen, but all they need is a few times 99 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:25,839 Speaker 1: where it does. 100 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:29,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, and my mum's quite technology illiterate as well as 101 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 3: you know many mums are, but they didn't grow up 102 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: with it. So you know, Mum's going, oh, not She's 103 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 3: not thinking, oh, but you called me off this phone 104 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 3: and that phone like, she's not thinking about that. 105 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 4: She's just going, oh, I can't get onto you. 106 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 2: And it's so last night, you know how I dropped 107 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 2: my phone in the water. I mean, working out with 108 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 2: an Apple paything and I'm mucking around trying to get 109 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 2: this credit card updated on the thing, and it wouldn't 110 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: be kept saying that I've got to update my payment details. 111 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 2: So I actually rang the Apple guy and the guy's 112 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 2: on the phone and then he said, well, how about 113 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 2: I wish screens? 114 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 5: Can you give me permission to share screens? I'm thinking, yeah, okay, 115 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 5: And then he's on my phone. I'm watching he's going 116 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 5: to press this button do that. I'm thinking wow, And 117 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 5: I said, how do you not? How do I know 118 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 5: you're out on my phone, but you called him. I 119 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:14,239 Speaker 5: called him, yes. 120 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 2: And it was my own thing. But my point is like, 121 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: how do I That is scary. 122 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: But this is the new level. They go for your 123 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 1: heart strings. 124 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, and saying like Mum, I'm in you know, I'm 125 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 3: in trouble, and so you know, mum automatically turns into mummy. 126 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,479 Speaker 1: Oh my god, let me fix it or fix it 127 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:30,880 Speaker 1: or fix it. 128 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 2: That's why that announced dads, because you ring a dad? 129 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:34,119 Speaker 2: Can I have money? 130 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 3: No? 131 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 2: If you're not getting money, what have you done? You 132 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 2: lost your phone? You buy it yourself. 133 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: It's probably right. 134 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, that is right. 135 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 2: That's a hot tip melody. 136 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: So yeah, just look out if you get an unknown 137 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 3: thing from WhatsApp. 138 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 6: Do not. 139 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 1: What was the first line? 140 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 4: It was, Hi, mum, this is my new number. 141 00:05:49,960 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: Okay, watch out. Thank you. 142 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 2: That curse and you're always getting the stuff. How did 143 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 2: that help with the siblings. You're sitting there going, well, 144 00:05:58,560 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 2: I'm not getting this money. 145 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:01,560 Speaker 4: I didn't know it was that easy to get money 146 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 4: out of your mind. 147 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: I just had a call from Robin who has a 148 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: similar story. Hello Robin, Hi, so your sister got scammed? 149 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 6: Yes, so my sister on WhatsApp. I got to think scammed, 150 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 6: and again it picked up one of her sons. It 151 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:24,680 Speaker 6: was almost identical personality traits with one of her sons, 152 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 6: so she didn't doubt it at all that she's an accountant. 153 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 6: And when she when they kept on asking for money 154 00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 6: and she'd said, okay, well I need to have a reference, 155 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,800 Speaker 6: I need to have you know, extra information for it. 156 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 6: The person just went absolutely silent after that. And because 157 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 6: it's on what they were able to also delete the 158 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 6: communication trail and it was only about a week later. 159 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 6: I got it through on text, not WhatsApp, on text, 160 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 6: but I don't have children, so you know it was 161 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 6: I'm not going to affect me. But because I knew 162 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,400 Speaker 6: about it from my sister, what I did is I 163 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 6: played along with it. I was taking screenshots of communications, 164 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:13,600 Speaker 6: the phone number, the account details when they finally sent 165 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 6: those through, and then what I did was went onto 166 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 6: the crime Stoppers website and I reported that and with 167 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 6: the screenshots I was able to put it to give 168 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 6: them all their specific information that hopefully it'll give them 169 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 6: a little bit of their heads up. 170 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 1: And so, Robin, when your sister was first contacted, was 171 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: it the same thing that really was just talking about 172 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 1: was it Hi, Mum, I'm in trouble. This to me, 173 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 1: but this isn't my normal phone. 174 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 6: Yeah, the exact thing. I dropped my phone in the 175 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 6: water or play down the toilet. I've got a new phone, 176 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 6: I know. 177 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 3: With me. 178 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 6: When they were doing it with me, they said, oh, 179 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 6: it's all of my internet banking is on that one, 180 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 6: and I've been to the bank and they'd put a 181 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 6: stop on the banking, which is why I can't access 182 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 6: it through a computer. But I kind of asked the 183 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,640 Speaker 6: same question, can't you do it online? Oh no, no, 184 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 6: the bank stopped it and it's going to take a 185 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 6: week before it can be back online again. 186 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: So you had to put the money into a friend's account. 187 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 6: Yes, well into another account. You just to pay this bill. 188 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 6: This is what I need to do. Don't worry about 189 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 6: putting anything there. I'll know who it's from. It's true. 190 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 2: Anything on whatsappp because WhatsApp's kind of dodge. 191 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: You want to look out for that. Okay, thank you, Robin, 192 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 1: Good on you, Robin.