Fell for the grandparent scam and sent money: what now

Why this scam works on loving people

The grandparent scam isn't about being careless. It's built to hit your love for your family. The caller says a grandchild is hurt or arrested, then a fake "lawyer" or "officer" asks for money and secrecy. The FTC warns that scammers can now clone a relative's voice with AI from just a short audio clip.

Caller ID can be faked too, according to the FCC. So it really can look and sound like family.

Step 1: confirm your grandchild is OK

Call your grandchild on the number you have saved. If you can't reach them, call their mom or dad, or another relative, even though the caller said to keep it secret. The FTC says to do exactly this. Knowing they're safe makes the next steps much easier.

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Step 2: act on how you paid

• Cash handed to a courier at your door: Call your local police now. If the courier is coming back, call 911. The FTC warns that once you hand cash over, it's gone, so the goal is to help police catch the people involved. Write down what the person and car looked like.
• Cash mailed in a package: Call the US Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 right away. The FTC says that for a fee they may intercept a domestic package that hasn't been delivered. If you used FedEx or UPS, call them with your tracking number.
• Gift cards: Call the company on the card. See our gift card scam steps for phone numbers.
• Wire through Western Union, MoneyGram, or Ria: Call them now to stop the transfer. See our wire transfer steps.
• Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App: Call your bank or the app. See Zelle or Cash App.
• Bitcoin ATM: Contact the operator on the receipt. See Bitcoin ATM steps.

Step 3: report it

1. Local police

   The FTC says to report losses to local law enforcement. Ask for a report number.

2. FTC

   Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC also suggests telling your state attorney general.

3. National Elder Fraud Hotline

   If you're 60 or older, call 1-833-372-8311. A case manager will help you report and find other help.

4. FBI IC3

   If any part happened online or by text, file at ic3.gov.

If they call back

Scammers who got paid once often try again. They may say more money is needed for "bail," "court fees," or to "fix a mistake." Or a new caller says they're police and can get your money back for a fee. Agree on a plan now.

Telling the family

Many grandparents dread this part. Your family will most likely feel relief that you're OK, and anger at the criminals. If you're the adult child hearing this news, lead with that.

• Say what happened in a few sentences. You don't owe anyone a full defense.
• Ask one person to help with the calls above.
• Set up a family code word that real relatives would know in an emergency.
• Ask grandchildren to keep public videos and voice posts private when they can, since voice clones need audio.

Questions people ask