Consumer Encyclopedia
Grandparents scam
Among the cruelest of all scams is the grandparents scam, where the generosity and care of grandparents is exploited by a crook posing as a grandchild. This scam often takes the form of a phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild needing money for some supposed crisis: emergency medical treatment, bail money, car repairs, etc.
Grandparents who are contacted with such a request should do whatever is necessary to confirm their grandchildren's whereabouts. Many older consumers are fooled because of bad phone connections, hearing loss or other complications.
Many times the scammer requests money via wire transfer. This is often a sign of a scam.
