Grandparent scams cost victims more than $5 million in 2025, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 2025 Internet Crime Report. Scammers impersonate grandchildren, police officers, lawyers, or hospital workers to convince older adults that a relative urgently needs money for bail, car accidents, or medical bills.
Artificial intelligence allows scammers to clone voices of relatives. Social media provides personal details that make the deception more convincing. Scammers often target victims at scale using this technology.
Red flags include requests for payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps. These payment methods are difficult to refund. Scammers also ask victims to keep the request secret from family members. Vague details, intense urgency, and unexpected calls are warning signs.
If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and call your grandchild directly. Ask another family member to verify the situation. Establish a family "safe word" or verification phrase in advance so you can quickly confirm whether a caller is legitimate.
If you have already sent money, contact the payment company immediately. Speed matters because scammers rush to spend the funds. Call the company if possible, or send an email right away. This applies to gift card companies, cryptocurrency platforms, banks, and payment apps.
Report scams to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/. Even if you do not recover money, reporting can lead to an investigation that stops the scammer from contacting other victims.