Parents across the UK are being urged to exercise extreme caution ahead of Father's Day as fraudsters ramp up sophisticated 'Hi Dad' impersonation scams. Data released by Santander reveals that scammers have already stolen approximately £160,000 this year using the tactic, prompting an urgent warning ahead of the holiday on Sunday, June 21.
According to security experts, criminals are increasingly leveraging technology to deceive victims. Fraudsters target parents through text messages or highly convincing, AI-generated phone calls. Posing as the victim's child, the scammers typically claim to be using a temporary phone number and urgently request money or an immediate bill payment.
The warning coincides with the release of Santander's quarterly 'Scamtracker' report, which monitors Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud – instances where individuals are tricked into voluntarily transferring funds to criminal accounts. The banking giant's data highlighted a broader, staggering trend in financial crime. Men handed over an average equivalent of £100,000 per day to scammers during the first six months of the year.
While impersonation fraud is rising, investment and purchase scams remain the costliest traps for victims. 'Fraudsters often target people when they know they might not have time to properly consider what they're being asked to do,' said Chris Ainsley, Head of Fraud Risk Management at Santander UK. 'Whether it's an investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, or a text or phone call out of the blue from your child asking for money, we are urging people to stay alert and stay safe ahead of this Father's Day,' Mr Ainsley added.
Financial institutions advise consumers to follow the 'Take Five' protocol when receiving unexpected requests for money:
- Stop and Think: If a text or call creates a false sense of urgency, pause.
- Verify Directly: Call your child back on their known, trusted number – not the new number sending the messages.
- Report Suspicious Activity: Contact your bank immediately if you believe you have fallen victim to a scam.
With Father's Day approaching, Santander urges all parents to remain vigilant and protect themselves from these increasingly common scams.
