Scousers have pointed out how to rumble WhatsApp scammers targeting random numbers.
It comes after the ECHO reported on Monday of how Michael Griffiths, from Ellesmere Port, nearly lost £900 thanks to a WhatsApp fraudster, until he asked one question.
Michael received a message from someone he believed to be his stepdaughter Sophie, who was asking for £989.
READ MORE : BBC The Responder viewers 'switch off' minutes after show starts
After swapping messages back and forth, the scammer was eventually rumbled by one question the 55-year-old asked.
This question was "what's your middle name Soph" to which the scammer questions why.
Michael adds: "So I know it's you Soph."
Following this, the fraudster stops their messages asking for money.
Since publishing the article, ECHO readers also shared how they received similar templates and managed to stop the scammers in their tracks.
Posting on the ECHO Facebook page Jane Carns said: "I got one on Friday...I asked them which child it was and they said the eldest.
"I said unlucky scammer my eldest is with me to which they replied I am so sorry I've typed in the wrong number. I blocked and reported it straight away."
Lindsay Ogden-Talbot added: "I did the same thing when I got what I thought was a message from my sister in law - I thought it was a bit strange anyway knowing her but she asked for money - I asked her what her brother's middle name was (my husband of course) the scammer immediately stopped - they will try anything."
Lynda Flynn also said: "I had this last week it started with 'mum can I ask you a favour?' then I asked if it was my daughter or son and they replied son, to which I replied I have two daughters and no son, end of conversation."
Other ECHO readers said they knew it was a scam right away as they were sat with their relatives as they got the message.
Michael's stepson Jordan, 28, decided to post the conversation on social media to warn others of the scam.
Speaking to the ECHO, the 28-year-old said, since sharing the messages, he has people contacting him to say they have also had a similar experience and the conversation appears to be the same template.
Jordan said his stepdad automatically thought it was Jordan's sister who needed help and the messages seemed "believable" because it sounded like she had lost her phone.
He said: "It all added up because that's exactly what would happen."
The 28-year-old said his stepdad was shocked when they found out it wasn't Jordan's sister and said the incident was "clever."
Jordan added: "I just think it's shocking that someone would message a random number and send the same template.
"When I was reading it with Mike I thought it was my sister and then we found out it was a scam, I just thought that's definitely going to get someone.
"He could have sent through that £900 until he realised he didn't have that amount of money in his account, if that scammer said can we have £300 he would have done it straight away without even thinking."
