Woman in her 30s loses WhatsApp account after sending six-digit code to scammer via messaging app

Summary

Rebecca Wilcox, daughter of TV presenter Esther Rantzen, fell victim to an online scam on Tuesday evening. She received a suspicious WhatsApp message from a school mum she did not regularly communicate with, followed by a call and additional messages requesting a six-digit code. Wilcox admitted she sent the code before realizing it was a scam and later found her WhatsApp account hacked. After speaking to someone who identified it as a scam, she tried to delete the message but was already locked out of her account. Wilcox expressed that it was emotionally difficult and admitted she had been "hook, line, and sinker" scammed. She later shared advice on how to respond to scams and assured others that any suspicious messages from her were not genuinely sent by her.