“Olá, Mãe” (Hi Mum) is the new scam in Portugal that uses WhatsApp and MB Way. First detected in the UK in 2021, it is now in Portugal, with complaints increasing.
The new scam uses the social network WhatsApp and MB Way, where the scammers pretend to be the victims' children, and ask parents to transfer money via MB Way.
They send messages through the Whats App text messaging application and if the victim believes that he is really talking to his child, the scammer will ask him to transfer a certain amount via MB Way. If the scammer is discovered, the victim is immediately blocked and the scammer moves on to another victim.
In the United Kingdom, where the first cases were reported, the losses represent more than £1,700,000.
In Portugal, like in other countries, cases have increased and the British authorities claim that the scheme is no longer exclusive to WhatsApp and has already spread to other social networks.
Source https://postal.pt/
