Grandparent scam
grandma scam · grandchild emergency scam
What it means
The caller may claim to be arrested, injured, stranded, or unable to use a normal phone. AI voice cloning makes the opening sound more personal, while a second scammer posing as a lawyer or officer reinforces the emergency.
How to protect yourself
- Never supply the relative’s name first.
- Ask for the family’s private codewords.
- Call the real relative or another family member using a known number.
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Cite this page
Grandparent scam — Trust Onion, September 17, 2026. https://trustonion.io/glossary/grandparent-scam