"Mummy, help!"

You are Rekha, 49, in Lucknow. Your son Arjun is studying in Bengaluru.

10 pm. A call from an unknown number. It's Arjun's voice, crying:
"Mummy! I hit someone with my scooter, the police have caught me. Please don't tell Papa!"
A man takes the phone: "I'm Sub-Inspector Yadav. Pay ₹60,000 now and we'll settle it without an FIR."

What do you do?

This story needs JavaScript. What to remember:

AI can copy a voice from a few seconds of video. A familiar voice is no longer proof.

Hang up and call back on the number you have saved. A real emergency will still be there.

Agree on a family code word that only you and your children know.

A made-up story based on real scams reported in India. Names, numbers and amounts are invented.

📞 "Mummy, help!"