The Grandparents Scam: What it is and how to prevent

Seniors are the most susceptible to scams of any age group. Their financial health and smaller social circles make them attractive targets for fraudsters, and their trusting nature makes them vulnerable. Even worse — when seniors think their family is in trouble, the risk of falling for a scam goes through the roof.  

In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 200 grandparent scam complaints from people over the age of 60. These victims were tricked into believing their grandchildren needed help and were conned out of approximately $2.3 million, amounting to an average of $11,500/victim.

By learning more about these dangerous senior scams, however, you can spot the warning signs early on to prevent yourself and your loved ones from falling victim to them.

Grandparent scams usually involve a fabricated scenario in which a grandchild is in trouble and needs money to get out of it. The scammers will claim an accident, an arrest, or even a kidnapping has occurred. They may impersonate your grandchild directly or an authority figure, such as a police officer or lawyer. 

The FBI has received reports about grandparent scams since 2008, but these schemes have become much more sophisticated in recent years. Scammers now have access to private and public information from data leaks and social media accounts. Modern technology allows them to spoof our loved ones' phone numbers and imitate their voices.   

The result is one of the most convincing and financially damaging scams.

Grandparents scammers create unique scenarios and use various techniques and tools, but they all exploit fear to trick their victims into acting quickly and rashly. They leverage older adults' love and loyalty for their grandchildren, creating fake emergencies that only fast money can solve. 

Here's how it usually plays out: 

• The Research: Scammers make extensive call lists of potential victims, often including their names, ages, phone numbers, and financial information. Some do more personal research, learning the names and ages of your family members.  
• The Call: The scammers then make phone calls, potentially spoofing the phone number or even the voice of a grandchild, a police department, or a lawyer's office. Scammers may call dozens of people per day until someone picks up. 
• The Emergency: The caller says they've been involved in a car accident or been arrested and need money for bail or medical coverage quickly. The goal is to create panic and urgency. 
• The Money: The caller requests a hard-to-track form of payment, such as a cash delivery or cryptocurrency transfer. Some scammers send couriers, taxis, or ride shares to pick up cash from the victim. 
• The Secret: The success of the scam largely depends on you keeping it to yourself for as long as possible. The scammer will plead with you to stay quiet about the emergency, saying they don't want their mom or dad finding out or suggesting that there's a legal gag order placed on you. 
• The Follow-Up: Once the scam has occurred, you may be marked for future fraud. The scammers may return and say there was a complication with the payment or new charges have been laid, anything to get more money from you.

Seeing through a grandparent scam can be harder than you think, but there are red flags that can make it easier. 

Here are some of the warning signs to look out for: 

• Unsolicited Calls: Any direct calls from or about a grandchild with an emergency should immediately sound alarm bells in your head. 
• Lack of Details: Most scam callers provide very few specifics to avoid getting tripped up in a lie. They might not use names or locations to keep things general and vague.  
• High level of Urgency: Emergencies can happen, but scammers often try to rush victims to make irrational decisions.  
• Far-Fetched Scenario: Most grandparent scams involve unbelievable scenarios. High-stake situations can create even more fear.
• Pledge of Secrecy: Scammers will usually ask you to avoid discussing the situation with anyone to prevent you from discovering the truth about your grandchild.  
• Strange Location and Timing: Grandparent scam calls often occur at night to catch you off guard, even while sleeping. Additionally, the fake event will usually take place far away to ensure you can't visit the site in person. 
• Unusual Payment Request: Most organizations accept credit cards and standard payment methods — not most scammers. They tend to request gift cards, cryptocurrency, and cash via courier.

The best way to deal with a scam is to ignore it altogether. If you happen to answer a scam phone call, however, all is not lost. Follow these steps to prevent any financial harm. 

Scammers want to prevent you from thinking clearly and using reason. While that may be difficult through the caller's urgency or even tears, remain calm and calculated. Think about the emergency logically and pay attention to the warning signs. 

You want to make sure the caller is who they say they are, so ask questions that only they can answer. Scammers may know some private information about you or the person they're imitating, but they won't know many personal details. When in doubt, hang up and call the person back directly.   

Avoid sharing any personal information with the caller. They likely have some information already, but it's important that you don't fill in the blanks for them, as they can use whatever you provide to bolster their scam. They may also use or share the information with other fraudsters for future scams.  

If you feel embarrassed or unsure, talk through the situation with someone you trust. An outside perspective can help you see things differently and reveal the scam for what it is. You might also find out some helpful information.  

Scammers don't just want your money — they also want it to be untraceable. Gift cards, wire transfers, and cash make it very difficult to track, cancel, or refund a transaction. You should be cautious of any payment request, especially in nontraditional forms.

If you do send money to a scammer, it's possible you can get it back. If you have an elder law attorney call them immediately, as they can help you dispute fraudulent transactions and limit your losses. You should also report all fraud to the FTC.

No matter what, you need to act quickly. Here are some steps you can take to recover your funds, depending on the payment method used.

Scammers often ask for money through gift cards because they're accessible, easy to transfer, and difficult to trace. Fraudsters typically ask you to buy a specific card, load it with money, and then send them the card number and PIN. 

What you can do:

• Call the card company. Report the fraud to the card company and follow the instructions. Always keep the receipt. 
• Ask for a refund. It may not be possible, but the company may be able to cancel the gift card and refund your money. 

When you wire money to a scammer, it can be nearly impossible to recover it or track down the recipient. As such, many fraudsters insist on using wire transfer companies like MoneyGram, Western Union, or Ria Money Transfer. 

What you can do: 

• Call the wire transfer company. Inform the company about the fraud and see what they recommend as an action plan. 
• Reverse the wire transfer. If you catch the transfer in time, the company may be able to reverse it and return your money. 

Many scammers request cash deliveries using couriers, taxis, or even the United States Postal Service. Cash is nearly untraceable and easy to move between hands quickly. 

What you can do:

• Call the courier company. Provide details about the fraud and the shipment to stop the delivery if possible.
• Call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. If you shipped the package through the USPS, call 877-876-2455 and start the package intercept process.

Scammers may ask you to send money instantly through a payment app like Venmo, Zelle, or Cash App. Tracking money transfers on these apps is difficult and they offer limited user protections, making recovery and reversals challenging.   

What you can do:

• Cancel pending transactions. If the transaction is still pending, you can cancel it directly from the app. 
• Chat with customer service. Many apps suggest you use their chat feature to report fraud. They may be able to reverse the money transfer.

Some scammers accept money by credit card and debit card to make their scams more believable. While this tactic may buy the scammers more time, it makes it easier for you to recover your money. 

What you can do: 

• Contact your bank. Put a stop on the payment immediately if it hasn't already gone through. 
• File a fraud claim. Speak with the fraud department to report the scam and dispute the payment. Most credit cards have protections in place to prevent major losses from fraud. 

Scammers often use cryptocurrency for its anonymity and transfer speed. Crypto also offers little recourse for scam victims because transfers are irreversible and nearly untraceable. 

What you can do:

• Contact the exchange site. Call the site you used and explain the situation. In rare cases, they might be able to reverse the transaction. 
• Report the scam to the FBI. File a complaint with the FBI's IC3. If you're lucky, your information could help accelerate or close an active investigation. 

While you don't want to embarrass or patronize anyone, discussing grandparent scams with your senior loved ones can ensure they're aware of this type of fraud and any potential damages.

You might start this talk by discussing scams in the news, such as the multimillion-dollar grandparent scam ring that was taken down in late 2024. You can also go over the basics of internet safety for seniors and make sure they know what to do and who to call if something should happen. 

To get the best results from the talk, be informative, supportive, and empathetic. There's no shame in falling for a scam — it's extremely common and can happen to just about anyone. 

Grandparent scams are sophisticated and manipulative threats that can cause extensive emotional and financial damage. This type of fraud can affect seniors in every setting, whether they live in their own homes, independent living communities, nursing homes, assisted living, or memory care facilities. 

Understanding how these scams work, recognizing warning signs, and knowing ways to respond can go a long way in protecting you and your loved ones. 

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