Grandparent or Emergency Scam

Emergency Assistance scams are a broad category of scams where the scammer, pretending to be a family member, requests money as there have been some “emergency”. Oftentimes these scams take the form of e-mails sent out to members of associations, faith groups, and other membership-based groups. These e-mails are often appeals from those in senior leadership positions to donate to a project or cause that is supposedly being done by the organization but are in fact scams where any money generated goes into the pockets of scammers.

Click the play button below to watch a video example:
Click here to play the YouTube Video for this Senior Fraud Alert Scam Lesson
The first step is to identify the fraud. In the video above, were you able to hear the clues in the story and detect the Grandparent or Emergency Scam? The next step is to prevent the scammer from victimizing you or others. If you encounter a similar situation, use these tools to protect yourself from this type of fraud.
SPOT THE SCAM
Grandparent or Emergency Scam Clues
  • Pressure to act now
  • Pressure not to call any other family member
  • Lack of knowledge about passwords or answers to questions only the family would know
STOP THE SCAM
Grandparent or Emergency Scam Defence
  • Call another family member to confirm
  • Preplan a secret word with family members
  • Hang up and call the person who is claiming to call you on a number you have for them, not the number in your caller ID.
Now it’s your turn!

TEST YOUR DEFENCE AGAINST THE Grandparent or Emergency Scam

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