Scam category
Grandparent scams
Grandparent scams target elderly people by impersonating a grandchild in distress. The caller claims to be in jail, in a car accident, or stranded abroad and begs for immediate financial help. They plead with the grandparent not to tell other family members. With AI voice cloning, these calls now sound increasingly convincing even to cautious targets.
Category activity
“grandparent scam”
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- The caller claims to be a grandchild but cannot answer a simple verification question only the real grandchild would know.
- A supposed lawyer or police officer gets on the line to add authority and demand payment by wire or gift card.
- The caller insists you tell no one in the family about the situation.
Common searches
OpenScam News Feed
grandchild arrested bail scam
A caller pretends to be a grandchild who has been arrested and urgently needs bail money, often with a second caller posing as a lawyer or police officer to add credibility.
Hang up and call your grandchild directly on their known phone number to verify the story.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild in car accident scam
A frantic caller claims to be your grandchild involved in a serious car accident, saying they need money immediately for hospital bills or to settle with the other driver before police arrive.
Hang up and independently contact your grandchild or their parents to verify.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild stuck abroad scam
A caller claims to be your grandchild stranded in a foreign country — passport stolen, wallet gone — and needs money wired urgently to get home safely.
Hang up and contact your grandchild through their normal phone number, email, or social media.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild hospital emergency scam
A caller claims your grandchild is in the hospital after an accident or illness and needs money immediately for surgery or medical treatment.
Call the grandchild's phone directly or contact their parents to verify the situation.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild kidnapped ransom scam
A caller claims your grandchild has been kidnapped and demands an immediate ransom, sometimes playing recordings of a person screaming in the background.
Try to contact your grandchild independently — use another phone or ask someone nearby to call them.
Grandparents
U.S.
AI voice clone grandchild scam
Scammers use AI voice cloning to replicate a grandchild's voice from social media videos, making the impersonation call nearly indistinguishable from the real person.
Establish a family code word that only family members know, to verify identity during emergency calls.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild needs a lawyer scam
A caller claiming to be a lawyer says your grandchild has been arrested and needs an immediate retainer fee to avoid jail time.
Ask for the attorney's full name, bar number, and firm — then verify independently through your state bar's lawyer search.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild DUI arrest scam
A caller claims your grandchild was arrested for drunk driving and needs immediate bail money to avoid being held overnight or having their license suspended.
Call your grandchild's phone directly — if they answer, the scam is confirmed.
Grandparents
U.S.
grandchild lost wallet overseas scam
A caller pretending to be your grandchild says they lost their wallet while traveling abroad and need money wired for a hotel, food, and a replacement passport.
Hang up and contact your grandchild through their normal phone or social media to confirm their location.
Grandparents
U.S.
fake police follow-up call scam
After a grandparent scam attempt — whether successful or not — a second caller poses as a police officer investigating the case, extracting more money or personal information.
Real police never call to request money or banking information — hang up if asked.
Grandparents
U.S.
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