Grandparent or Loved One Scam

DALL·E-2023-11-15-worried-woman-on-phone

You get a call: “Grandma, I need money for bail.” Or maybe an email from someone claiming to be a relative or a friend who says they’re in trouble. They need money for a medical bill or another emergency. The caller says it’s urgent — and tells you to keep it a secret. But is the caller who you think it is? Scammers are good at pretending to be someone they’re not, using information from social networking sites to create a realistic scenario.

Family member impersonation scams encompass a range of deceptive practices that exploit the emotional ties within families, targeting individuals with fraudulent distress calls from supposed relatives. These scams, often including variations like grandparents scams, grandkids scams, friends, associates, and loved ones scams, typically involve a fraudster posing as a family member facing urgent and fabricated crises.  

Artificial intelligence (AI) enabled voice synthesis technology can be employed to mimic the voice of a specific family member. This makes the scam phone call sound more convincing, potentially fooling the target into believing they are genuinely speaking with their relative.  AI-powered chatbots or automated text messaging systems can send convincing and urgent messages, providing a layer of automation to the scam. While not prevalent yet, deepfake technology, which uses AI to create realistic fake videos, can fabricate scenarios involving a family member in distress. This could include video calls or messages designed to deceive the target.

  • Urgent Distress Call: Scammers make urgent calls claiming to be the grandchild, facing legal, travel, or medical issues.
  • Request for Secrecy: Scammers insist on secrecy to prevent the grandparent from consulting other family members.
  • Payment Requests: Fraudsters ask for in-person cash pick-ups,  cryptocurrency, wire transfers or gift card payments to resolve the supposed crisis quickly. 
  • Inconsistencies in Story: Be wary of inconsistencies in the caller's story, such as changes in details or vague information about their identity.
  • Verify Caller's Identity: Confirm the caller's identity by asking personal questions only the real grandchild would know.
  • Call the alledged victim or family member via another means of communication. 
  • Stay Calm and Collected: Resist emotional manipulation; think critically before taking any action.
  • Avoid Immediate Transactions: Refrain from making immediate financial transactions; take time to verify the situation.
  • Educate Elderly Family Members: Inform grandparents about the scam and advise skepticism towards unexpected calls requesting money.
  • Agree on a Safe Word:  If you have reason for heightened concern about this scam, agree on a safe word, to alert the target that the call is legitimate. 
  • Report to Authorities: Contact local law enforcement and provide details of the scam, including information about the scammer.
  • Inform Financial Institutions: If money was transferred, report the incident to the bank or financial institution used for the transaction.
  • Seek Support: Reach out to support organizations specializing in fraud and scams for guidance and resources to cope with the aftermath.

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