Grandparent Scams and Family Emergency Scams: Signs and What to Do

A grandparent scam, also called a family emergency scam, is a call or message from someone pretending to be your grandchild, another relative or a close friend who is in trouble (arrested, in a car accident, in the hospital) and needs money right now, usually with a plea to keep it secret. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sums it up this way: "Someone calls or contacts you saying they're a family member or close friend. They say they need money to get out of trouble. Not so fast."

The defense is the same whatever the story: hang up and call your family member yourself, at a number you already know is right. If you already sent money or handed cash to a courier, call the bank or payment company you used today, then report to your local police, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Federal prosecutors have charged these schemes as wire fraud conspiracy, and they have convicted the couriers who collect the cash at victims' homes, not only the people who run the calls.

Information last verified on October 3, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This guide covers US federal law and federal agency guidance on grandparent, family emergency and virtual kidnapping scams: the federal wire fraud, mail fraud, telemarketing-fraud enhancement and extortion statutes (18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1341, 2326 and 875), FTC consumer guidance, FBI and IC3 public service announcements, and Department of Justice prosecutions. State criminal laws and state attorney general programs differ and are not covered here. How elder fraud works more broadly, including help for families and Adult Protective Services, is in our elder fraud guide.

How the grandparent scam works

The call comes in sounding urgent. The caller says they are your grandchild, or another relative or friend, and that they have been arrested, been in an accident or ended up in the hospital, which are the three scenarios the FTC named in its December 2020 warning. They need money now, and, in the FTC's words, "The scammer will say it's urgent and that you're the only one who can help."

The caller may know a surprising amount about you. The FTC explains that scammers "may know your name, where you live, and other information they could have found on social media sites or by hacking a family member's email. And sometimes they simply guess." A detail that sounds personal is not proof the call is real.

Then a second voice joins. The FTC warns that "Scammers might pretend to be an 'authority figure,' like a fake lawyer, police officer, or doctor working with your family member." In its 2021 alert, the FTC described the fake lawyer version: "they might put another scammer on the line who pretends to be a lawyer needing money to represent the grandchild in court." The FBI's San Diego field office described the bail version in 2023: callers pose as "family members who have been arrested and need bail money," and "A fake attorney is then introduced and will coordinate ride share services to pick up cash in-person for the purpose of bailing the loved one out of jail."

The voice itself may sound exactly right. The FTC says some scammers use artificial intelligence to clone a loved one's voice from a short audio clip, such as one posted online. Our guide to AI voice scam calls covers how voice cloning works and what the law says about it.

Warning signs of a family emergency scam

Any one of these is a reason to stop and verify before you do anything else:

• A panicked call from a "grandchild" or relative who needs money for bail, a lawyer, a hospital bill or an accident, and who sounds upset.
• A lawyer, officer or doctor who takes over the call and tells you what to pay and how.
• A demand for secrecy. The FTC says "The scammer might tell you it's important to keep it secret," and the 2021 alert adds that the "grandkid" may say they are "under a gag order" or "don't want their parents to know."
• Pressure to act right now. The FTC notes that "The scammers will play with your emotions."
• A payment method that cannot be undone. The FTC says these callers "always say you have to pay right away by wiring money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, sending cryptocurrency, using a payment app, or by putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back."
• Cash, a courier or the mail. A stranger coming to your door or a ride-share driver sent to collect cash, or instructions to mail cash or send it by overnight delivery.
• A text claiming a loved one has been kidnapped, with a ransom demand and a photo that disappears after viewing (see virtual kidnapping below).

The FTC's 2021 alert is direct about payment requests: "anyone who asks you to pay by gift card or money transfer is a scammer. Always." Our guide to gift card scams covers what to do if you already bought the cards.

Virtual kidnapping: the ransom version

Virtual kidnapping is the most frightening branch of this scam. Nobody has been taken; the criminal only claims they have. In a public service announcement issued December 5, 2025, the FBI said "Criminal actors typically will contact their victims through text message claiming they have kidnapped their loved one and demand a ransom be paid for their release."

The FBI warns that these criminals send "proof of life" photos that are altered, and that they "will sometimes purposefully send these photos using timed message features to limit the amount of time victims have to analyze the images." Look for the inaccuracies the FBI lists, "such as missing tattoos or scars and inaccurate body proportions."

The FBI's tips for a ransom message:

1. Stop and think. "Scammers portray a false sense of urgency. Stop and think; do the kidnapper's claims make sense?"
2. Reach your loved one first. "Always attempt to contact your loved one before considering paying any ransom demand."
3. Save the evidence. "Screenshot or record proof of life photos whenever possible."
4. Be careful when a relative is really missing. "When posting missing person information online, be mindful that scammers may contact you with fake information regarding your loved one."
5. Report it. The FBI asks victims to report to the IC3 at www.ic3.gov and to include "phone numbers, payment information, text and audio communications, and proof of life photos."

The FBI's earlier guidance on virtual kidnapping adds: "If you suspect a real kidnapping is taking place or you believe a ransom demand is a scheme, contact your nearest FBI office or local law enforcement immediately."

What to do in the first hour

Whether the call is from a "grandchild," a "lawyer" or an "officer," these steps come from the FTC's and FBI's own guidance:

1. Do not send money while you are on the call. The FTC says to "Resist the pressure to react and send money immediately," and to hang up or tell the person you will call them right back.
2. Call your family member directly. "Use a phone number you know is right to call or message the family member or friend," the FTC says. Its 2023 alert on AI voice cloning puts it plainly: "Don't trust the voice. Call the person who supposedly contacted you and verify the story. Use a phone number you know is theirs."
3. If you cannot reach them, call someone else. The FTC says to "Call someone else in your family or circle of friends, even if the caller said to keep it a secret." The 2023 alert adds: "If you can't reach your loved one, try to get in touch with them through another family member or their friends."
4. Ask a question only they could answer. If you do not want to hang up, the FTC suggests "asking a question only the real person would know the answer to, like 'What kind of dog do you have?' or 'Where did you spend Thanksgiving last year?'"
5. Check the "lawyer" or "officer" independently. The FBI's general advice for a caller who claims to represent an organization is to verify identity "by hanging up the phone, researching the contact of the bank or organization purporting to call you, and call the phone number directly."
6. Keep your address and cash to yourself. "Don't give your address, personal information, or cash to anyone who contacts you," the FTC says.

Watch out: A request to keep the emergency secret from the rest of the family is itself one of the warning signs the FTC lists. Telling another relative is exactly what the scammer is trying to stop.

Family code word or a question only they know?

Two federal agencies give two slightly different verification tips, and it helps to know which says what.

The family code word, sometimes called a safe word, is FBI advice. The FTC's version needs no planning ahead: ask about something a stranger could not find online. Either one is a backup. The step both agencies stress is contacting your loved one yourself.

Courier pickups: cash at the door

The courier version removes the one thing that used to slow these scams down: a trip to the bank or a store. The FTC warned in 2021 that "instead of asking you to buy gift cards or wire money (both signs of a scam), the scammer tells you someone will come to your door to pick up cash. Once you hand it over, your money is gone. But you might get more calls to send money by wire transfer or through the mail."

The FBI's San Diego field office reported the ride-share variant in June 2023. The same release cited IC3 data showing "$22.5 million in losses and more than 450 victims in San Diego" between January and May 2023, without saying how much of that came from this scheme. That figure covers San Diego only. Its advice: "Be suspicious of telephone calls in which the caller requests bail money for a family member in distress and requires you to immediately act. Contact the family member directly for confirmation."

The FTC's December 2020 warning also covers sending money by courier: do not wire money, or send a check, money order or gift card by overnight delivery or courier.

Gold and cash couriers in other impersonation scams

The FBI has documented the same courier pickup in tech support and government impersonation scams, where victims are directed to hand over cash or precious metals. In a January 2024 announcement, the FBI said "Criminals then arrange for couriers to meet the victims in person to pick up the cash or precious metals," and that scammers may have victims confirm the handoff "using a passcode, such as the serial number of a US dollar bill." The FBI reported that from May to December 2023, victims of that courier scheme reported aggregated losses of over $55 million. Its advice applies to any courier request: "Never disclose your home address or agree to meet with unknown individuals to deliver cash or precious metals." That variant is covered in our guide to government impersonation scams.

Couriers get prosecuted too

The person who knocks on the door is not a bystander in the eyes of federal prosecutors. In June 2025, the US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky announced the sentencing of the sixth and final defendant in a grandparent scam where "callers would convince senior victims that their grandchild or other family member had an emergency, usually a car accident, and urgently needed money from the victim. Co-conspirators posing as 'couriers' would then collect cash from victims at home and others would launder the criminal proceeds, both through traditional banks and cryptocurrency exchanges."

That scheme ran from August 2020 to May 2021 and hit hundreds of victims, who lost over $3 million in total, according to the release. The last defendant sentenced, described as a "manager or supervisor," received 5 years and 1 month in prison for wire fraud conspiracy and was ordered to pay $963,290 in restitution. A second manager received 6 years. The couriers received sentences of 6 months to 1 year and 6 months, also for wire fraud conspiracy.

If someone asked you to pick up or pass along cash or packages for strangers, read our guide to money mule and fake check scams.

Is a grandparent scam a federal crime?

Yes. Several federal statutes can apply, depending on how the scheme reaches its victim.

• Wire fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1343. A person who devises a scheme to get money by false or fraudulent pretenses and "transmits or causes to be transmitted by means of wire, radio, or television communication in interstate or foreign commerce" any communication to carry it out can be imprisoned for up to 20 years, or up to 30 years if the violation affects a financial institution. Federal prosecutors charged wire fraud conspiracy in the Kentucky case above.
• Mail fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1341. It can apply when the scheme uses the mail or a private or commercial interstate carrier, for example when a victim is told to mail cash or send it by overnight delivery.
• Telemarketing fraud against older people, 18 U.S.C. § 2326. When certain fraud offenses are committed "in connection with the conduct of telemarketing or email marketing" and victimized ten or more people over 55 or targeted people over 55, this statute adds up to 10 years in prison on top of the sentence for the underlying crime.
• Extortion threats, 18 U.S.C. § 875. Section 875(a) covers transmitting in interstate commerce a ransom demand for the release of a kidnapped person, and § 875(b) covers transmitting a threat to kidnap or injure someone with intent to extort money, punishable by up to 20 years. In a 2017 Houston virtual kidnapping for ransom case, where no one had actually been taken, federal prosecutors charged conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money.

The FBI also notes that "The creation or distribution of synthetic content is not inherently illegal; however, synthetic content can be used to facilitate crimes, such as fraud and extortion." A cloned voice is a tool; the fraud is the crime.

In the Kentucky case, restitution was ordered as part of the criminal sentence.

What to do if you already paid

The FTC's rule of thumb: "No matter how you paid a scammer, the sooner you act, the better." What you can do next depends on how the money left.

Your legal rights to a refund differ sharply by payment method, and a payment you sent yourself is often treated differently from one a thief took from your account. Our guide to how to get money back after a scam explains those rules and deadlines.

Watch out for the second call. The FTC warns that after a courier collects cash, "you might get more calls to send money." Expect follow-up calls claiming more bail is needed, and be wary of anyone who offers to recover your money for a fee. The FBI says "The IC3 will not ask for payment to recover lost funds."

Whether a lawyer can help depends on your situation. Our guide on when a lawyer helps after a scam explains the situations where one can, and the free and official routes to try first.

Where to report a grandparent scam

Report even if you did not lose money; the FTC asks people to report any kind of scam call. There is nothing to be embarrassed about: these callers are practiced at sounding real.

Our guide on where to report a scam explains what each agency does with a report. If an older relative is the victim, our elder fraud guide covers how families can help and the other agencies, such as Adult Protective Services, that may get involved.

How common are grandparent scams?

We found no official 2025 national count of grandparent or family emergency scams, so be cautious with any number you see. Here is what the official sources show, kept separate because they measure different things:

• FBI IC3, 2025. The IC3 has no standalone grandparent category. Its annual report defines its Confidence/Romance category to include "the Grandparent's Scheme." In its section on AI-assisted fraud, the 2025 report says "Victims claimed losses over $5 million in 2025 to distress scams," meaning grandparent or "distress" scams that used voice cloning. That is only the AI-involved subset, not all grandparent scam losses.
• FTC, 2025. The FTC reported that people lost $3.5 billion to imposter scams in 2025. That figure covers all imposter scams; the FTC's announcement does not break out family emergency scams.
• Local and case figures. The FBI's San Diego office, in its 2023 grandparent-scheme warning, cited IC3 data showing $22.5 million in losses and more than 450 victims in San Diego alone from January to May 2023, without saying how much of that came from the scheme, and the Kentucky prosecution above involved over $3 million from hundreds of victims.

For losses reported by people 60 and older across all scam types, see our elder fraud guide.

Related guides

• Scams and fraud: federal law and how to protect yourself
• Elder fraud: scams targeting seniors and how to report them
• AI voice scam calls
• How to get money back after a scam
• Where to report a scam
• Gift card scams
• Government impersonation scams
• Money mule and fake check scams
• When a lawyer helps after a scam
• Medicare and Health Insurance Scams
• How to Tell if Something Is a Scam

Last updated: October 3, 2026.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice. It covers US federal law and federal agency guidance as verified on October 3, 2026. For your specific situation, contact the bank or payment company you used, the agencies named above, or a lawyer licensed in your state.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a grandparent scam?

It is a call or message from someone pretending to be a grandchild, relative or close friend in trouble, often arrested, in an accident or in the hospital, who needs money right away and asks you to keep it secret. The FTC calls these family emergency scams.

How do I know if a call from my grandchild is real?

Hang up and call your grandchild at a phone number you know is right, as the FTC advises. If you cannot reach them, call another family member or their friends, even if the caller told you to keep it secret.

Should my family have a safe word?

The FBI recommends creating a secret word or phrase with your family to verify identity. The FTC suggests asking a question only the real person would know, such as where you spent Thanksgiving last year. Either is a backup to calling your loved one directly.

What is a virtual kidnapping scam?

A criminal claims, usually by text, to have kidnapped your loved one and demands a ransom, sometimes sending an altered proof of life photo through a disappearing-message feature. The FBI says to try to contact your loved one before considering any payment and to report it to ic3.gov.

Can scammers clone my grandchild's voice?

Yes. The FTC says some scammers use AI to clone a loved one's voice from a short audio clip, such as one posted online. Its advice is not to trust the voice and to call the person back on a number you know is theirs.

What should I do if I gave cash to a courier?

Report it to your local police right away; the FTC says it was a crime. Also report to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and expect follow-up calls asking for more money.

Is a grandparent scam a federal crime?

Yes. Using interstate or foreign phone or internet communications in a scheme to get money by false pretenses is wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. 1343, punishable by up to 20 years. In a 2025 Kentucky case, a scheme manager and the couriers who collected cash were all sentenced for wire fraud conspiracy.

Where do I report a grandparent scam?

Report to local police, the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov, the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general. Victims 60 or older can get help filing with the IC3 from the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).