A loved one calls in a panic, asking for money. What to do right now.
Also called the grandparent scam, the family emergency scam or virtual kidnapping.
Hang up and call them back on a number you already have. Scammers can copy a voice from short audio clips, so the voice on the line proves nothing. Don't send money, gift cards or crypto while that call is still going. If your family has a safe word, ask for it.
What to do, step by step
- Hang up.Don't argue and don't stay on the line. Keeping you talking is the scam: in one case reported this October, a California mother was kept on the phone for five hours while she wired $5,400.
- Call them yourself, on a number you already have.Not the number that called you. If they don't answer, call another relative or a friend who would know where they are.
- Ask for your family's safe word.A clone of their voice won't know it. If you don't have one yet, make one today.
- Refuse payment by wire transfer, crypto or gift cards.The FTC says requests to pay these ways are signs of a scam. Real emergencies don't need them.
- If you already paid, act within the hour.Call your bank or the transfer service and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. Then report it (below) and call your local police.
Warning signs
- An unknown or blocked number
- Caller ID can also be faked, so a familiar name on screen isn't proof either.
- Panic, crying, a crisis
- An arrest, an accident, a kidnapping. Fear is designed to stop you thinking.
- "Don't hang up" or "don't tell anyone"
- Being cut off from everyone who could check the story is the point.
- Wire, crypto or gift cards
- Money that is fast to send and hard to get back.
- The voice is right, but something is off
- The FBI says to listen for tone and word choice that don't sound like your loved one.
Protect your family before it happens
- Agree a family safe word. A word or phrase only your family knows, kept off social media and texts. The FBI recommends it. Make one in two minutes →
- Limit public clips of your voice. The FBI suggests keeping social media private and only accepting followers you know.
- Tell the people most likely to be targeted. Parents and grandparents especially. Send them this page.
Send this to your family
Copy it, fill in the blanks, and send it by text or read it to them on the phone.
If you ever get a call from me, or from anyone, saying I'm in trouble and need money, hang up and call me back on my usual number. If you can't reach me, call [another family member]. Ask for our safe word: ________. I will never ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers or crypto.
If you already paid or shared something
Speed matters most. What to do depends on how you paid, per the FTC:
| You paid or gave… | Do this now |
|---|---|
| Credit card | Call the card issuer right away and ask to reverse the charge. |
| Debit card | Call your bank or credit union right away and ask for a refund. |
| Bank transfer, including Zelle | Call your bank or credit union right away and ask them to reverse the transfer. |
| Payment app (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal) | Report it in the app right away and ask them to reverse the payment. |
| Wire transfer (Western Union, MoneyGram) | Call the wire company right away, tell them a scammer tricked you, and ask for a refund. |
| Gift card | Call the company that issued the card, say a scammer has the number and PIN, and ask for a refund. Keep the card and receipt. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or crypto-ATM operator right away, say the payment was fraud, and ask them to reverse it. |
| Cash sent by mail | Call the US Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455; they may be able to stop the package. For FedEx or UPS, call them. |
| A password | Change it, and anywhere else you used it, and turn on two-step login. |
| Your Social Security number | Go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan. |
Then report it (below). Recovery isn't guaranteed; reporting quickly gives you the best chance.
How big this is
Real cases
From the Warning Shots index of AI incidents, each dated and sourced.
- · Martinez, California. A mother heard a cloned recording of her 37-year-old daughter crying for help, was told a cartel had kidnapped her, and wired $5,400 to Mexico over five hours. Her daughter was at work the whole time. (Fortune)
- · Netherlands. Police arrested two people over bank-helpdesk fraud that used AI-generated calls; about 170 victims and about €380,000 lost. (NL Times) The case file →
- · Nigeria. Police say a 23-year-old used AI voice cloning and deepfakes to pose as Elon Musk in a crypto 'trading' scam; nine arrested with UK, Canadian and German help. (Blueprint (Nigeria)) The case file →
- · Arizona. Jennifer DeStefano got a call with what sounded like her teenage daughter sobbing, then a man demanding ransom. Her daughter was safe. She later testified about it to the US Senate. (US Senate testimony) The case file →
Where to report it
- The FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov
- Your local police: the non-emergency number, or 911 if someone may really be in danger
Questions people ask
Can AI really copy someone's voice from a short clip?
Yes. The FBI warns that criminals use short audio clips to clone a relative's voice and ask for urgent money or ransom. A voice message, a video on social media or a few words on a call can be enough.
How can I tell if it's really them?
Don't try to judge the voice. Hang up and call them on a number you already have, ask for your family's safe word, or ask something only they would know that isn't online.
What is a family safe word?
A word or phrase agreed in person by your family and never posted or texted. In an emergency call you ask for it; a scammer with a cloned voice won't know it. The FBI recommends one.
I already sent money. What now?
Call your bank or the transfer service immediately and ask them to stop or reverse the payment. Then report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at ic3.gov, and tell your local police. Recovery isn't guaranteed, and speed matters.
Where do I report an AI voice scam?
In the US: the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov), the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) and your local police. Reporting helps even if no money was lost.
Can caller ID be faked too?
Yes. It's called spoofing: a caller can make a different number, even a familiar one, show on your screen. So caller ID isn't proof. Call back on a number you already have. In the US you can report spoofed calls to the FCC at 1-888-225-5322.
Related
- AI scam texts: how to spot them and what to do (2026)
- Today’s AI threats and what they mean for you →
Sources
- FTC: Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes (Mar 20, 2023)
- FBI IC3: Criminals Use Generative Artificial Intelligence to Facilitate Financial Fraud (PSA I-120324, Dec 3, 2024)
- Fortune: AI voice-cloning scam, fake kidnapping, safe word (Oct 24, 2026)
- Massachusetts Attorney General: Caller ID spoofing
- FTC: What To Do if You Were Scammed
- FTC testimony to the Joint Economic Committee on the scam economy (Mar 25, 2026)
Spot an error or out-of-date advice? Tell us; corrections are made and logged. Written with AI assistance from public sources; every fact checked and approved by Colin Balfe. This page is general guidance, not legal or financial advice. In an emergency, call 911.