"Grandparent Scams” are Rising this Holiday Season

One of the most common scams targeting older adults is the “grandparent scam,” where a fraudster pretends a loved one is in danger and urgently needs money. As the holidays approach, law enforcement and consumer agencies warn that these scams tend to surge, taking advantage of busy schedules, travel, and heightened emotions. A single unexpected call or text can turn a caring grandparent into a target.

Here’s what to know, and how to protect yourself and your family this season.

What Is a Grandparent Scam?‍

It usually starts with an urgent call or message:
“Grandma, it’s me… I’m in trouble. Please don’t tell Mom or Dad.”

In a grandparent scam, fraudsters impersonate a grandchild or someone “helping” them, like a lawyer or police officer, to panic an older adult into sending money fast.  They rely on fear, secrecy, and emotional pressure, often using personal details pulled from social media or even AI-cloned voice clips, to make the story feel real.

Scammers often:

• Call, text, or email out of the blue
• Claim there’s been an accident, arrest, or emergency
• Beg the grandparent not to tell anyone, especially parents
• Demand urgent payment to “fix” the problem

The goal: create panic so the victim acts before verifying anything.

How the Scam Works

Scammers search social media and other online sources to gather names, locations, school details, trips, and other family information they can use to make their story believable. They may rely on real voice recordings, or even AI-cloned voices, to sound convincingly like a grandchild, and often spoof the caller ID so the number looks familiar or appears to come from a trusted source.

Once they reach the grandparent, they:

1. Claim to be the grandchild (or a relative/lawyer):
   “Grandma, it’s me. I’ve been in an accident…” or “I’m calling from your grandson’s lawyer’s office…”
   
2. Describe a crisis:
   A car crash, arrest, medical emergency, or being stuck far from home.
   
3. Pressure you to act fast:
   “I need money right now; please don’t tell Mom or Dad.”
   
4. Demand payment in hard-to-trace ways:
   
   • Prepaid or gift cards
   • Wire transfers or money orders
   • Mobile payment apps like Venmo or Zelle
   • Cryptocurrency
   • Even cash or gold delivered in person

By the time the grandparent realizes it’s a scam, the money is usually gone and very difficult to recover.

Why These Scams Surge During the Holidays

The holiday season creates the perfect setup for manipulation. Families are traveling, shopping, and spending more, so unexpected calls about trip delays, lost wallets, or last-minute emergencies feel more believable. Scammers take advantage of that chaos and generosity, using the season’s distractions to make their stories sound urgent and real. That’s why extra vigilance is especially important from now through the New Year.

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

1. Pause and verify before you act.
Scammers rely on panic. Hang up, then call or text your grandchild directly using a number you already know. If you can’t reach them, check with another family member or trusted friend before sending money.

2. Don’t trust the caller ID or the voice.
Caller ID and voices can be faked. Even if it sounds exactly like your grandchild, treat unexpected crisis calls with caution and verify through a separate, trusted channel.

3. Never pay with gift cards, crypto, or wire transfers for “emergencies.”
If someone tells you to pay with prepaid cards, gift cards, wire transfers, money orders, mobile payment apps, cryptocurrency, or cash delivered in person, it’s likely a scam.

4. Be careful about what you share online.
Remind family members, especially teens, that oversharing on social media can give scammers the details they need to sound convincing.

What to Do If You Think You’ve Been Scammed

If you suspect you or a loved one has fallen for a grandparent scam:

• Stop all contact with the scammer immediately.
• If you sent money, call your bank or payment provider right away to ask if anything can be reversed.
• Report the scam to local law enforcement.
• If personal information was shared, visit IdentityTheft.gov for next steps.
• Install a spam call blocker from your mobile provider. 
• File reports with the FTC and FBI IC3 to help stop further fraud.

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If you’re not already using Carefull, now is a good time to try Carefull free for 30 days. 

Carefull monitors your financial accounts, screens suspicious calls and messages, and helps you stay ahead of scams, especially during the busy holiday season.

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