West Yorkshire Police has circulated a fraud warning to Bradford residents after reported losses of £1.5 million nationally.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) has received hundreds of reports about criminals targeting victims via WhatsApp and pretending to be someone they know, typically their children.

There were 1,235 reports made to the NFIB between February 3, 2022, and June 21, 2022.

Fraudsters usually begin the conversation with ‘Hello Mum’ or ‘Hello Dad’, adding that they are texting from a new mobile number as their phone was lost or damaged.

They will then ask for money to purchase a new one or claim that they need money urgently to pay a bill.

The criminal will provide bank details for the payment with some even coming back with further demands.

Detective Chief Inspector Craig Mullish of the City of London Police said: “If you receive a message like this from a friend or family member, don’t send any money until you’ve had a chance to call them and confirm their identity.

“Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.”

You can report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp by pressing and holding on the message bubble, selecting ‘report’ and following instructions.

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