Grandparent Scams: How They Work and How to Protect Parents

What is a grandparent scam?

The phone rings, and a young voice says, “Grandma? It’s me. I’m in trouble.” The caller says they’ve been arrested, or hurt in a car accident, or are stuck in another country. They need money right now, and please, don’t tell Mom and Dad.

That is the grandparent scam, also called the family emergency scam. It works because it goes straight past the head to the heart. A loving grandparent hears that someone they adore is frightened, and every instinct says: help.

The FTC notes that scammers may pull details from social media or a hacked email account to sound convincing, or simply guess. Some now use AI to make the caller sound just like a real family member. (We cover that in our guide to AI voice cloning scams and the family code word.)

How the scam usually unfolds

Most grandparent scams follow the same script:

1. The hook. “It’s me,” or “It’s your favorite grandson.” The scammer lets the grandparent fill in a name.
2. The emergency. An arrest, a crash, a hospital, a problem at a border. Something frightening and far away.
3. The authority figure. A second voice takes over: a “lawyer,” “police officer,” “doctor” or “bail bondsman” who explains the fee.
4. The secret. “Please don’t tell anyone, I’m so embarrassed.”
5. The payment. Always something fast and hard to undo: gift card numbers read over the phone, a wire transfer, cryptocurrency, a payment app, or cash.
6. The courier. The FBI has warned that scammers arrange for couriers, sometimes rideshare drivers, to pick up “bail money” in person at the victim’s home.
7. The second call. If the first payment works, another “fee” follows. Scammers come back until someone stops them.

How big is the problem?

The numbers are large, and they are likely an undercount.

• FBI, 2025: In its 2025 annual report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 201,266 complaints from people 60 and older, with $7.748 billion in reported losses, up 59% from 2024. The average loss was $38,500.
• FTC, 2025 data: The FTC’s Protecting Older Consumers 2025–2026 report found that older adults were 15% more likely than younger adults to report losing money to a scam impersonating a friend or family member. Gift cards were the most frequent payment method older adults reported on family- and friend-impersonation scams.
• The hidden total: People 60 and older reported losing over $3 billion to the FTC in 2025, but because most fraud is never reported, the FTC estimates the real cost to older adults was between $13.3 billion and $119.5 billion.

Grandparent scams are only one slice of that picture, but they share the same tools as most fraud aimed at older adults: urgency, secrecy, and payments that can’t be clawed back.

Red flags to share with your parents

Any one of these is a reason to hang up and check:

• Urgency. “There’s no time, you have to do this now.”
• Secrecy. “Don’t tell Mom and Dad.” “Don’t tell the bank why you’re withdrawing cash.”
• Gift cards. The FTC puts it plainly: only scammers will tell you to buy a gift card and give them the numbers off the back.
• Wire transfers, cryptocurrency or a Bitcoin ATM. These are fast and nearly impossible to reverse.
• Cash collected at the door. No court, lawyer or police department sends a stranger to pick up cash for a relative.
• A voice that’s “a bit off.” Blamed on a cold, a broken nose, a bad line, or crying.
• Caller ID that looks right. Numbers can be faked, so the name on the screen proves nothing.
• Coaching. Being told what to say to the bank teller, or to stay on the line while they shop.

What to do if the call comes

Write these steps on a card for the fridge or near the phone:

1. Stop. No real emergency is made worse by a five-minute pause.
2. Hang up. Even if the voice sounds exactly right.
3. Call back on a number you already have. Call the grandchild directly, or their parents, using the number saved in your phone. Never use a number the caller gives you.
4. Tell someone. Call another family member, even if you were asked to keep it secret. Secrecy is the scammer’s protection, not your grandchild’s.
5. Ask for the family code word, if you have one. If the caller can’t give it, it isn’t them.
6. Never pay with gift cards, wire, crypto or cash handed to a courier.

If money has already been sent

Act quickly and without shame. Scammers are professionals, and smart, careful people are caught every day.

• Bank transfer or wire: Call the bank or wire company right away and ask them to stop or reverse it.
• Gift cards: Contact the gift card company immediately and keep the card and receipt, as the FTC advises.
• Cash already collected: Call the local police, especially if the courier may come back.
• Then report it (see below). Reports help investigators connect cases.

How to talk to your parents without talking down

The hardest part isn’t the information. It’s the conversation. Nobody likes being told they might be fooled. A few approaches that tend to go well:

• Share it as news, not a warning. “I read about a scam that’s going around, have you heard of it?” invites conversation. “You need to be careful” invites defensiveness.
• Make it about the scammers, not your parent. These are organized criminals with scripts and call centers. Falling for them isn’t a sign of age.
• Give permission to hang up. Many older people feel rude ending a call. Tell them clearly: “If anyone calls saying it’s me and I’m in trouble, hang up and call me. I will never be upset.”
• Promise no blame. Make sure they know they can tell you about a strange call, or even a payment, without being scolded. Shame keeps people quiet, and quiet is what scammers count on.
• Practice once. Role-play the call over coffee. It feels silly, and that’s fine: the script sticks.
• Involve the grandchildren. Ask them to keep travel plans off public social media and to answer when Grandma calls to check.

Where to report a grandparent scam

Report even if no money was lost. It helps others.

• United States: File with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and with the FBI at ic3.gov. The National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-FRAUD-11, or 833-372-8311, weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET) helps people report fraud against anyone 60 or older. Call local police if a courier was involved.
• United Kingdom: In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on December 4, 2025. Report at reportfraud.police.uk or by phone on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.
• Canada: The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre takes reports online or at 1-888-495-8501.
• Elsewhere: Most countries have a national scam-reporting service (in Australia, it’s Scamwatch). Your parent’s bank and local police are always a good first call.

Where Surewell fits

Surewell’s Is this really you? feature is built for the moment the phone rings. While on a suspicious call, your parent taps who the caller claims to be. That family member’s phone asks, “Are you calling Mom right now?” If they tap Yes, your parent sees “It really is Ben ✓.” If they tap No, your parent sees “Hang up now. It’s NOT Ben.” The family code word can be kept in the app, too.

For texts, emails and web pages, Scam check lets your parent share the message or a screenshot and get a plain verdict (Likely a scam, Suspicious, or No warning signs), the warning signs, and what to do next. Surewell can’t read your parent’s calls, texts or other apps; it only sees what they choose to share.