A call says my grandchild is in trouble and needs money. Is it real?
Check your loved one's situation through people and contacts you know.
A caller can copy a voice or pretend to be a lawyer. A real crisis can be urgent too. The call alone does not tell you which it is.
Pause the payment while you check. A demand for secrecy is a reason to check more carefully.
You do not have to prove the voice is fake. First, find out where your grandchild is.
- Do not send money or share codes during the call. End it so you can check.
- Call your grandchild on a number you already had. If there is no answer, try another known family contact.
- If the caller names a jail, hospital or lawyer, find its real contact details yourself. Do not use the caller's number.
- A family safe word is only one extra check. Use separate contacts to check the request too.
- For an immediate threat to someone's safety, call local emergency services. If you paid, contact the payment service promptly.
Make a family practice plan for a call saying a loved one is in trouble. Use no real names or private details. Include known contacts, how to check a jail or hospital and what to do if no one answers.
Paste the message into ChatGPT, then fill in any blanks before you send it. ChatGPT opens in a new tab. Opening it does not send the message.
No answer does not prove the caller's story. Keep checking through separate contacts.
Sources and more help
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