The phone rings. It's your grandson, and he's panicking. He's been in a car accident, or he's been arrested, and he needs money right now. He begs you not to tell his parents. And it's his voice. There's no mistaking it.
Except it might not be him at all.
What's changed
The "grandparent scam" has been around for years. What's new is that scammers can now use AI to copy a person's voice. The Federal Trade Commission warns that all a scammer needs is a short audio clip, which can come from a video posted online, and a voice-cloning program. The result can sound just like someone you love.
That means the old advice, "you'll know if it's really them," doesn't hold anymore. You can't trust the voice alone.
The warning signs
These calls follow a pattern. Be suspicious if a caller:
- Creates urgency. Something terrible has happened and there's no time to think.
- Asks you to keep it secret. "Please don't tell Mom and Dad" is a classic line. It keeps you from checking the story.
- Wants money in an unusual way. Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or cash handed to a "courier." These are hard to trace and nearly impossible to get back.
- Hands the phone to someone else. A "lawyer," "police officer," or "bail bondsman" may take over to make it sound official.
Two habits that stop the scam
1. Hang up and call back. Tell the caller you'll call right back, then hang up and dial your loved one yourself, using the number you already have saved, not one the caller gives you. If you can't reach them, call another family member or a friend who would know. A real emergency will still be real in five minutes.
2. Agree on a family code word. Pick a word or phrase with your family ahead of time, something that's never been posted online. If someone calls claiming to be in trouble, ask for the word. A voice clone can copy how someone sounds, but it can't know a secret that was never shared.
Set it up today
Call your kids or grandkids this week and pick your code word together. It takes five minutes, and it's a good excuse to catch up.
If it already happened
Don't be embarrassed. These scams are designed by professionals to catch caring people off guard. Act quickly:
- Call your bank or the company you paid (for example, the gift card company) right away and tell them it was fraud.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Tell your family, so they can watch for follow-up calls. Scammers sometimes try again.
For more, read the FTC's alert: Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes.