Scam guides › Grandparent / family emergency scam
Grandparent scam: "Grandma, I'm in jail and need bail money"
Updated . By the AskBeforeYouSend editorial team (how we fact-check). Fact-checked against the official sources listed at the bottom.
What it looks like
A typical phone script. A fake "lawyer", "officer" or "bail bondsman" often takes over the call.
How the scam works
- Someone calls, crying or upset, sounding like your grandchild.
- They say they're in jail, in a crash, or in the hospital, and need money now.
- They beg you to keep it secret, then hand the phone to a fake lawyer or officer.
- They ask for cash, gift cards, a wire, a payment app, or send a "courier" to your door.
Red flags
- "Please don't tell Mom and Dad"
- Sudden emergency plus a need for money right now
- A "lawyer" or "officer" asking you to pay
- A courier coming to pick up cash
- Payment by gift card, wire, crypto or cash in a box
What to do now
- Hang up. Call your grandchild or their parents on the number saved in your phone.
- Ask a question only the real person would know, or use a family safe word.
- Call another family member, even if the caller said to keep it secret.
- AARP notes that police don't call family members to collect bail money for someone.
Report it
Questions
It really sounded like my grandson. How?
The FTC warns that a scammer can clone a voice from a short clip posted online. That's why you should hang up and call back on a number you know.
What is a family safe word?
A word or phrase your family picks ahead of time. The FCC suggests it: if the caller can't say it, it may be a scammer.
Sources
- FTC: Scammers use fake emergencies to steal your money
- FTC consumer alert: Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes (Mar 2023)
- FCC: 'Grandparent' scams get more sophisticated
- AARP: Grandparent scams
Example messages are made up to show the pattern unless we say otherwise. Phone numbers in examples use the fictional 555 range.
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