041 - Scammers Often Pretend To Be Family
“Fraudsters may call pretending to be a grandchild, relative, or caregiver in trouble. Before sending money, hang up and contact the family member directly using a trusted phone number.”
The "Grandchild in Trouble" Call is Usually a Trap
You’re relaxing at home when the landline rings. You answer, and a panicked, breathless voice on the other end says, “Grandma? It’s me. I’m in trouble.” They claim they’ve been in a car accident, are stuck in jail, or need money for a sudden medical emergency. Before you can even process what is happening, a second person takes the phone, claiming to be a police officer or a lawyer, demanding that you wire cash or buy gift cards immediately to help your family member.
Your heart rate spikes. Your natural instinct is to protect your family at all costs. But in that high-pressure moment, it is vital to hit the brakes: scammers love to pretend to be family because they know it overrides your logic.
Fear is the Scammer's Weapon
This is known as the "grandparent scam." Fraudsters don't succeed because they know your family secrets; they succeed because they are masters of emotional manipulation. They use urgency to create absolute panic, making you act before you have time to think clearly or double-check the facts.
These criminals often look through public social media pages to find family names, or they simply rely on you to blurt out a name (like asking, "Is this Billy?"). They want irreversible payments, like wire transfers or gift cards, because once that money is sent, it is gone forever.
Your Family Verification Plan
Protecting yourself and your savings doesn't require any special technology. You just need to change how you handle unexpected emergency calls:
Hang Up and Call Back: No matter how believable or urgent the story sounds, hang up the phone. Look up your grandchild’s or relative’s actual phone number in your address book and call them directly to see if they are safe.
Create a Family Passphrase: Sit down with your kids and grandkids and agree on a secret "family password"—a simple, memorable word or phrase. If someone ever calls claiming to be a relative in an emergency, ask them for the password. If they don't know it, you know it's a scammer.
Never Drop Your Guard for Gift Cards: No legitimate police station, hospital, or government agency will ever demand payment via gift cards or wire transfers.
Take a deep breath, verify the story independently, and keep your hard-earned savings secure.
What Now
If you or an elder you care for has been impacted by or fallen victim to a family emergency or "grandparent" scam, take these immediate steps to protect your finances and identity:
Contact Your Financial Institution Immediately: If you sent money via wire transfer, a mobile payment app, or shared bank details, call your bank or credit card company right away. Ask them to freeze your accounts, report the fraudulent transactions, and request a wire recall or a hold-harmless letter to try and recover the funds.
Contact the Gift Card Issuer: If you paid the scammer using gift cards, immediately contact the company that issued the cards (e.g., Apple, Google, or Target). Provide them with the numbers on the card and your store receipt; if the funds haven't been spent yet, they may be able to freeze the card and refund your money.
Report the Incident to Federal Authorities: File an official scam report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If the scam took place online or via email, also submit a complaint to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline: For personalized, one-on-one assistance navigating the aftermath of the fraud, call the Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-372-8311. A case manager can guide you through the process of reporting the crime to federal, state, and local agencies.
Protect Your Credit and Identity: If you provided any personal identifiable information (such as your Social Security number or date of birth), guard against identity theft by contacting the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to place a free fraud alert or credit freeze on your reports.
Local Resources
Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington https://helpingelders.org/
(360) 735-5720
Elder Justice Center https://clark.wa.gov/prosecuting-attorney/elder-justice-center
(360) 397-2261
YWCA Clark County https://www.ywcaclarkcounty.org/resources
(360) 695-0501
