02/05/2026
THE GRANDPARENT SCAM
In the first 3 months of 2025, Americans aged 60 and older lost more than $745 million to scams and that number is likely to increase over the first 3 months of 2026. One of the popular tactics scammers use to take advantage of older Americans is the Grandparent scam.
The Grandparent scam is a fraudulent scheme where a scammer poses as a grandchild in distress, tricking victims into sending money urgently. As a Grandparent myself, I would do anything to help my grandchild in their time of need, and most grandparents will likely do the same. Scammers know this too, and that’s why this scam works so well.
How does the Grandparent Scam Work?
- A phone call is made from someone claiming to be a grandchild (or another family member). The caller sounds distressed or in a panic.
- The caller fabricates a story, claiming to be in serious trouble and in need of help. This story could be about legal trouble, a car accident, or needing money for medical expenses.
- The caller sounds urgent – money needs to be sent right away. Money is requested to be sent through the purchase of gift cards, wire transfer, or a payment platform, such as Cash App, Venmo, Zelle, etc.
- The caller may ask that the situation remain a secret, so other family members don’t find out.
What should you do if you receive a call that you believe is a Grandparent Scam?
- First, and foremost, DO NOT send any money to the caller until you can verify the person you are speaking with is your family member. You can do this by asking questions that only your grandchild will know the answer to, ie details about a recent family event or a personal nickname.
- Verify the situation by calling your grandchild at a phone number you know belongs to them. Or, contact another family member that your grandchild is close to.
- Remember scammers can spoof phone numbers and use AI resources to mimic someone’s voice to make the call sound legitimate.
- If someone claims there’s an emergency, like an accident, arrest, or medical crisis, STOP and ask yourself whether the payment method makes sense. Real emergencies are never handled with gift cards, cryptocurrency deposits, or other unusual forms of payment.
If you reacted too quickly and sent the scammer money, what can you do?
- It is uncommon to recover funds sent to a scammer, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. Contact whoever you used to send money. This could be your credit card company, the money transfer company (Western Union, MoneyGram), the gift card company, the cryptocurrency company, or the post office (if you mailed cash).
- If you gave any of your personal information to the scammer, such as your Social Security Number, call each of the 3 credit bureaus and have a freeze placed on your credit report.
- If you gave the scammer your username and password to any online banking systems, change your password right away and notify your financial institution.
Scammers succeed because they prey on love, trust, and fear. The best defense is awareness. Sharing this information with friends, neighbors, and fellow grandparents can help protect them from falling victim to a scam.
If you have any doubts about a phone call, pause, verify the information, and talk to someone you trust. Your loved ones would rather you double-check than fall victim to a scam.
