At least two people have lost £3,100 due to a WhatsApp scam that is targeting Manx phone users, the police have confirmed.

As a result, the police has started a social media campaign advising people on how to deal with online scammers.

It said: ‘If you get a scam text message, just block the number.

‘They use an automatic messaging service and if you engage with the sender they know they have targeted a live number and you will be on the list of people to keep contacting.’

One Twitter user published a scammers message to him, it reads: ‘Hi Mum, I broke my phone today, I’m texting off my friend’s phone.

‘Can you please text my new number on WhatsApp.’

This would then be followed by the number of the scammer.

Treasury Minister Dr. Alex Allison recently tweeted about receiving ‘two dodgy messages’ in which a scammer requested money, after impersonating one of his children.

A spokesperson for the police said: ‘The best way to combat these money requests is to speak to the person in real life if you receive a request for money.

‘If people do send the money to the scammer, then they should contact their bank and report it to the fraud squad.’

The police have urged parents of students who are studying in the UK to take care that they are particularly susceptible to this scam.

The Office of Cyber-security and Information Assurance (OCSIA) released a statement saying: ‘If you see a message purporting to be from a loved one, ignore it, block the number, and if you’re unsure, contact the person on a known number/channel.’

In their advice, the police has also said to watch out for the social media platform, Instagram.

The police has said, via Twitter: ‘The scammers send out similar messages to hundreds of residents.

‘It just takes one to hit home and they can make thousands.’

In another tweet, it said: ‘Two people have lost £6000 so far.

‘There will be more.’

This news comes in the same week that OCSIA has reported that multiple fraudulent emails have been sent targeting Manx businesses.