For many people, grandparents are some of the most beloved members of the family. For scammers, however, older folks, like your grandmother or grandfather, often represent easy targets. Which is why so many scams are specifically aimed at the elderly.
There are even scams named after grandparents, like grandmother scams or grandparent scams. This guide explains what they are, how they work, and how to avoid them.
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How Do Grandmother Scams Work?
Known by a few names – like grandparent scams, grandma scams, or grandpa scams – grandmother scams involve scammers trying to trick elderly people by posing as their grandkids.
Usually, these scams happen over the phone. An older person will get a call, seemingly from their grandchild. The “grandchild” in question will appear in a state of distress. They might claim they’ve been arrested, kidnapped, or had some sort of accident, and need money, urgently.
Naturally, their voice might sound different to the real grandchild, but they often muffle their voices, pretend to cry, or even call in the middle of the night in the hope of catching the victim off-guard. Then, after a short introduction, they “pass the phone” to another person.
This other person may pose as a federal agent, a kidnapper, a lawyer, or some other figure or authority. They’ll explain the situation more clearly, stress the need for payment, and try to coerce, threaten, or intimidate the grandparent to pay up – either through a transfer, gift cards, or even a literal bag of cash left outside the home, which will later be picked up by a courier.
In reality, of course, the whole story is false, but there are several reasons why these scams tend to work – and stats show they do, unfortunately, work, with tens of thousands of elderly victims every year.
The first reason is that older people tend to be less tech savvy and aware of scams and warning signs. They might not be familiar with this sort of trick, or could be fooled by a scammer, even if they don’t sound like their real grandchild.
The second is, quite simply, that these scams prey on people who love and care about their families. Many grandparents would be willing and eager to help their grandkids out of trouble, so are likely to pay up without asking too many questions.
Additionally, the scammers usually plead with the victim to “Not tell anyone” or “Don’t tell my parents about this, because they’ll be so mad.” So the victim usually doesn’t discuss the situation with anyone else or seek any advice before paying.
Red Flags You Shouldn’t Ignore
Calls from Unknown Numbers
Scammers are often good at creating spoof emails and websites, but they have to use their own phones when making calls. So, if you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, or one that seems to come from an anonymous source, be cautious. Unknown callers aren’t always scammers, but if your real relatives call you, their names usually show up on caller ID.
Callers Who Don’t Identify Themselves
If a grandchild or other relative gives you a call, they’ll usually identify themselves at the start. However, scammers often don’t actually know your family members’ names, so they’ll use tricks like saying “Grandma, it’s me!” and waiting for you to say the name.
Urgent Demands for Payment
It’s not impossible that a grandchild could end up in a bad situation and need money to get out of it, but urgent demands for payment over the phone are usually signs of scams. It’s especially concerning if someone seeming to be a lawyer or law enforcement agent uses any kind of threatening or coercive language asking you to pay up, as real officials wouldn’t do this.
Someone Asking You to Keep the Situation Secret
As mentioned earlier, scammers often ask their victims to keep the situation secret, usually claiming that it would embarrass them or get them in trouble if other people found out. But this is exactly what a scammer would want, as the fewer people know about the scam, the less likely they are to figure it out.
How to Stay Safe from Grandmother Scams
- Always verify the ID of the person calling you
- Don’t give up any information to unknown or anonymous callers
- Never send money to unknown people
- Call your relatives on their number to confirm any emergencies
Report the Scam
You can report suspected grandparent scammers in several ways:
- Report to the FTC.
- Report to the FBI Internet Complaints Center.
How to Protect Yourself More
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Read up about other phone scams to learn other ways in which scammers may try to trick you over the phone.
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Grandmother scams target elderly people by tricking them into thinking their grandchild is in urgent need of money. Scammers impersonate the grandchild, claiming they’ve been arrested or in an accident, then pass the phone to someone pretending to be a lawyer or police officer to pressure the victim for money. These scams succeed because older individuals are often less tech-savvy and are eager to help family. Red flags include unknown numbers, urgent payment requests, and being asked to keep things secret. It’s important to educate seniors to verify such calls before acting.