- Scam
SMS scam alert: 0420 540 347 (0420540347) reports impersonating your child, claiming urgent help needed. Block immediately and verify via known contact.
Child Impersonation SMS Scam Reports for 0420 540 347
One contributor has reported receiving a sophisticated SMS scam on 0420 540 347 (also written as 0420540347) impersonating their adult child. The message arrived in Perth, Western Australia at 10:42 am on 29 September 2026, claiming the sender broke their phone and needed the recipient to text back urgently on this number.
This is a classic callback-lure scam where the attacker poses as a family member in distress to manipulate parents or relatives into responding. The use of casual language ("Hey Mum"), an emoji, and artificial urgency ("kind of urgent") are designed to bypass critical thinking. The contributor immediately recognised the threat, reported it, blocked 0420 540 347, and deleted the message.
How the 0420 540 347 Scam Works
The SMS from 0420 540 347 follows a well-documented pattern: scammers research publicly available family relationships (often through social media), then send urgent messages claiming to be a son or daughter whose phone is broken or damaged. When the target responds by texting back to 0420540347, scammers can:
- Request money urgently for repairs, bail, or emergency travel
- Build trust through prolonged conversation before escalating financial requests
- Attempt to extract sensitive information like banking details or passwords
- Use the conversation to refine social engineering for follow-up attacks on other family members
Why You Should Not Respond to 0420 540 347
If you receive an SMS from 0420 540 347 claiming to be your child or family member:
- Do not: Reply to the message, provide your name or family details, confirm contact information, or send money
- Do not: Click any links in SMS messages from unknown numbers, even if they appear to be from a contact
- Do: Hang up or delete the message immediately
- Do: Contact your family member directly using a number you already have saved in your phone
- Do: Block 0420540347 on your device to prevent further contact
- Do: Ask your family member in person or via a known contact method whether they have actually lost or broken their phone
Report the 0420 540 347 Scam
If you receive SMS messages from 0420 540 347 or similar impersonation scams, report it through these official Australian channels:
- ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority): Report the SMS as spam or scam at acma.gov.au
- Scamwatch (ACCC): File a detailed report at scamwatch.gov.au, including the message content, time received, and any response you made
- Your mobile provider: Contact Vodafone Australia (the provider for 0420540347) to report the scam number and request blocking
- ReportCyber: If you or anyone responded to the scam and shared sensitive data, report to cyber.gov.au
- Reverseau community: Report your experience with 0420 540 347 to help other Australians identify this scam
Reporting helps authorities track scam trends and may lead to criminal investigation of the sender.
Help others by sharing your experience with 0420 540 347!
WRITE A REVIEWRatings Distribution
What Our Users Reviewed
SMS message received - Perth, West Australia: 10:42 am (WST) 29/09/26.
Called from +212 7 78 4212 68.
"Hey Mum. I broke my phone this morning., Sending this off a colleagues phone. Can you text me back on this number 0420540347? Its kind of urgent (red heart emoji)"
Reported, blocked and deleted.
Help others by sharing your experience with 0420 540 347!
WRITE A REVIEWFrequently Asked Questions
Is 0420 540 347 a real Vodafone customer service number?
No. 0420540347 is a mobile number allocated to Vodafone Australia, but the person using it is running a scam. Legitimate Vodafone customer service calls come from official Vodafone numbers listed on your bill or the Vodafone website. If someone claiming to be your child contacts you from 0420 540 347, verify their identity by calling them on a number you already have saved, or contacting another family member who can confirm their status.
Why did the scammer from 0420 540 347 use a heart emoji and casual language?
Scammers use casual, emotional language to lower your guard and create urgency. By mimicking how a young adult might text their parent ("Hey Mum", emojis, informal tone), they exploit your natural instinct to help a family member in distress. The emoji and urgent framing are designed to make you act quickly without pausing to verify. Do not let emotional manipulation override your verification process when 0420540347 or similar numbers contact you.
What should I do if I already replied to 0420 540 347?
If you have responded to the SMS from 0420 540 347, stop communicating immediately and block 0420540347. Do not send money or personal information. Contact your actual family member directly using a saved phone number to confirm they are safe. Monitor your bank accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity. Report the scam to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and Vodafone Australia so they can monitor the 0420 540 347 account for fraud.
Can I get my money back if I sent money to 0420 540 347?
Contact your bank immediately and report the transfer as a scam. Many banks can reverse recent transfers if you act within hours, especially if the recipient account is still new. File a report with Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and provide your bank with the scam report number. Block 0420540347 on your phone and monitor your accounts. Recovery is not guaranteed, but reporting increases the chances authorities can freeze or recover funds.
How do scammers know my family member's name and our relationship?
Scammers source personal information from social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), data breaches, public records, or previous scams. Your Facebook posts mentioning your son or daughter, or your phone contact list if compromised, can reveal family relationships. This is why impersonation scams from 0420 540 347 feel convincing - they already have basic information. Tighten your social media privacy settings, avoid posting family names publicly, and remain sceptical of urgent messages from unknown numbers, even if they mention correct family details.
Should I report 0420 540 347 to the police?
Yes, you can report the SMS scam from 0420 540 347 to local police via your state police website, but reporting to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and ACMA (acma.gov.au) is more effective for scam investigation. Scamwatch collates reports nationally and shares intelligence with law enforcement and telecoms providers. If you sent money to 0420540347, obtain a police report number for your bank. Block 0420 540 347 and do not engage further.