Scammers Use 2-Number 'Hi Mom' Texts to Steal Money and Verification Codes

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 5

A fake family-emergency text is circulating that says a child dropped a phone in water and asks parents to switch the conversation to another unknown number.
That 2-number handoff is the key warning sign: scammers use a believable excuse, urgency and a broken-phone story to stop parents from verifying the sender first.
Once a parent replies, the scam can escalate into requests for replacement-phone money, bill payments via Zelle or gift cards, or one-time security codes that can unlock bank, email or carrier accounts.
Safety advice centers on 3 steps: do not reply, call the real family member using a saved contact, and never share money or verification codes from a sudden text.
Anyone who already responded should stop texting, save screenshots, contact the real relative, change affected passwords immediately if a code was shared, and alert a bank or payment app if money was sent.