How emergency scams exploit family ties for profit.
Emergency scams, sometimes referred to as “grandparent scams” or “family scams,” are a type of impersonation fraud. In these situations, scammers gather information about you online, then use this knowledge to impersonate someone you know and trick you out of money.
How the scam works
Scammers contact you by phone, text, or email claiming to be a relative (or someone you know) who is in trouble and needs money sent to them quickly. They may request a form of payment that isn’t easy to retract, such as a wire transfer, gift card payment, payment app, cryptocurrency, etc. With the help of an audio clip from social media and a voice cloning program, a scammer can sound just like someone familiar, so your first instinct may be to believe them. The scammer may insist on secrecy, or claim to have an authority figure with them, such as a doctor, lawyer, or police officer, to help substantiate their story. Most of all, they’ll rely on the details they’ve found and play on your emotions. As convincing as they may be, it’s all a ruse.
What to do if you receive a “family emergency” call
It’s always okay to take a breath and think before acting.
- If a situation arises involving desperate pleas for money, resist the urge to act immediately and take steps to verify who you’re speaking with. For instance, ask questions that ONLY an authentic caller would know the answers to
- Be suspicious if you are asked to send money in ways that would make it difficult to get your money back
- Consider it a red flag if the caller is reluctant to provide specific details about the situation or is unable to provide you with accurate responses to your questions
- Tell them you’re having trouble with your connection, hang up, and call them back using a verifiable phone number. If you reach the caller in question, ask if they’re really in trouble
- Don’t keep the situation a secret; enlist help from someone else in the family or within your trusted circle of friends
Spot scams, stop scams.
It’s unfortunate, but scams happen to good people. You can help prevent others from falling victim to scams by reporting family emergency scams to the FTC. Providing details about your experiences can greatly help protect others in the future.