Jan Lenton thought he was lending his son some much-needed emergency money, but $ 4,500 later realized he had been the victim of a cruel scam.
“I’ve been in business most of my life, and it’s me who says to everyone else,‘ Be careful ’… and then I fell in love,” he told Ben Fordham at 2GB.
“I can’t believe he did. I feel so stupid.”
A messaging scam has been directed at parents. (Newly supplied)
The scam has been addressed to parents, sending messages from a new number claiming to be the recipient’s child.
Lenton said the scammer claimed he was his son based in the United States, sending messages from a new number after having to get a new phone.
He applied for an urgent cash loan.
“Especially when your kids live abroad, you really don’t know what’s going on,” Lenton said.
People are asked to be very careful if they receive a message from an unknown number. (iStock / Getty)
“I know a house is being bought in the US, and I thought, I don’t know what I thought, maybe it was short of funds.”
The messages come mostly through WhatsApp.
Lenton’s suspicions were aroused when he tried to contact his “son” at his new number after transferring the money, only to receive a message saying it didn’t work.
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When he contacted his real son, and explained to him, he said he “went crazy.”
“When you think your child is in trouble, it’s normal for a mother to send money,” he said.
Unfortunately, he said, he didn’t seem likely to ever get the money back.
“Everyone has to be very careful,” he said.