How To Protect Your Grandparents From Scams
Help grandparents stay safe from grandparent, impersonation, and romance scams.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
'Grandparent scams' impersonate a grandchild in trouble to trigger urgent payments, while other scams target loneliness and trust. Supportive conversations, a family safe word, and simple verification habits go a long way.
The grandparent scam
A caller pretends to be a grandchild (or their lawyer) in an emergency — an accident, arrest, or being stranded — and needs money urgently and secretly.
- The 'grandchild' may sound distressed or claim a bad connection
- AI voice cloning can make the voice sound real
- Payment is demanded fast, often by gift card or transfer
Simple protections
A few habits defeat most of these scams.
- Agree a family safe word to confirm identity
- Always hang up and call the family member on their known number
- Never send money or gift cards based on an urgent call alone
Conversation script
“Grandma, there's a scam where someone pretends to be me and says I'm in trouble and need money fast.”
“If you ever get a call like that, please hang up and call me on my normal number first.”
“Let's pick a family safe word so you can always check it's really me.”
Frequently asked questions
What if the voice really sounds like my grandchild?
AI can clone voices from short clips. That's exactly why a family safe word and calling back on a known number matter — they verify identity even when the voice sounds right.