‘I felt stupid and embarrassed’: victim of ‘Hi Mum’ fraud on WhatsApp lost £1,600

Guardian investigation reveals the human stories behind the scams on Meta's social media platforms

• Victims speak out over tsunami' of fraud on Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp
• Mental anguish': how a crypto scam advertised on Facebook cost victim her life savings
• Instagram scam: I spent 1,200 on clothes for my son that never arrived'

Meta has been urged to crack down on the WhatsApp Hi Mum" scam as figures show UK consumers have lost almost 500,000 to the impersonation fraud so far this year.

The scam involves a con artist posing as a friend or relative of the victim. They get in touch on WhatsApp or another messaging platform and gain the target's trust before asking for money.