Spanish police said it has detained 102 people in connection with so-called “child in need” scams which have defrauded parents of vast sums.

The police on Tuesday said that 238 victims in the south-eastern province of Alicante alone had lost an estimated €850,000 ($911,000) in individual payments totalling between €800 and €55,000.

The scams, sometimes called ‘Hi Mum’ scams, involve perpetrators contacting potential victims via messenger services such as WhatsApp and pretending to be their children.

To explain why they are making contact from an unknown phone number, the fraudsters then claim to have a problem with their old phone and ask for urgent instant bank transfers to a new account due to an emergency.

According to Spanish police, 500 bank accounts and 100 telephone numbers have been registered in connection with the scheme.

The perpetrators often proceed in a targeted manner, selecting potential victims with adult children who are studying elsewhere or travelling.

Police have advised against responding to such requests for payment under any circumstances.

The police advised that the best way to deal with such messages is for parents to speak to their children personally by calling their existing mobile phone or landline. 

(dpa/NAN)

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