"Broken phone" scam: Polish police warn of a new trick targeting parents

Your phone buzzes with a message from an unknown number: "Mum, it's me. My phone broke, this is my new number." Sounds harmless? Polish police say this is exactly how a new scam begins.

The fraud is called "the broken phone" scam. Criminals pretend to be your child and claim their device is damaged. Then comes the request: please send money right now so they can buy a new one.

Last weekend, a woman from the Nowa Sól county, in western Poland, fell for it. She transferred almost 6,000 zloty (roughly 1,400 euros) to the fraudsters.

How to protect yourself

Police advise stopping before you send anything. Call your child on their old, saved number, or contact them another way, and check that the story is true. Be wary of any message that creates time pressure and demands an urgent transfer.

It is also worth telling older relatives about this trick. Scammers count on emotion and speed, so a calm phone call is often enough to stop them.