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Scam Alert · February 18, 2026 · Source: FTC

The 'grandparent emergency' phone call

Sometimes the voice sounds genuinely like your grandchild — AI voice-cloning tools have made these calls more convincing. The caller is panicked, crying, and asking you not to call their parents because they're 'embarrassed.' They want you to send gift cards, wire money, or hand cash to a courier.

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Older adult reviewing a suspicious package delivery message
What it may look like

Fake grandchild emergency call

"Grandma? It's me. I'm in trouble. I was in a car accident and I'm in jail. My nose is broken so I sound different. Please don't tell Mom and Dad — they'll kill me. I need $5,000 for bail. Can you get gift cards and read me the numbers? Please, please don't tell anyone, I'm so embarrassed."

What not to do

  • Do not send money based on a phone call alone.
  • Do not buy gift cards to give to anyone over the phone.
  • Do not keep the 'emergency' secret from the rest of the family — that's exactly what the scammer wants.

Safer next step

  • Hang up. Call your grandchild back on their own phone number — the one you have saved, not a new one. If they don't pick up, call their parents.
  • Agree on a family code word: a word only your real family knows. Ask the caller for the code word before doing anything.
  • Real police, hospitals, and jails do not ask for gift cards or wire transfers.

Family discussion prompt

Choose a family code word together this week. Write it down somewhere you'll remember. Practice: 'If anyone calls claiming to be family in trouble, we ask for the code word first.'

Source: FTC Consumer Alerts. KeepUp Academy summarizes and republishes plain-language guidance for older adults; we are not affiliated with the FTC.

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