Grandparent Emergency Call Script
A caller impersonates a grandchild in distress — or a lawyer or officer acting on their behalf — and asks for bail money or emergency cash delivered in secret.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Grandma? It's me — [name]. I'm in trouble. I had an accident and I'm in jail. Please don't tell Mum and Dad.
This is Attorney [name]. Your grandson has been arrested. Bail is [amount] and must be paid before his hearing this afternoon.
A courier will come to collect the cash. Please have it ready in an envelope — no one else should know.
If you call the police, it will make things worse for him. I just need the money today.
He sounds different because he hurt his nose in the accident — that's why his voice is unusual.
What the scammer wants
To exploit a grandparent's love and fear for a family member, using secrecy and urgency to extract cash before anyone can verify the story. Scammers may use social media to learn the grandchild's name before calling.
Red flags in the message
- A panicked grandchild's voice followed by a lawyer or officer
- Immediate request for cash delivered by a courier
- Instruction to keep it secret from other family members
- Explanation for why the voice sounds different
- No opportunity to call the grandchild back on their known number
- Urgency — must be done today before a hearing
- Attorney or bail agent asks you not to use a bank
A safe response
Hang up and call your grandchild directly on their known number, or call another family member. Use a family safe word or code phrase if you have one. Real bail and legal processes are never conducted by cash courier.
What not to send
- Cash to any courier
- Wire transfers or gift cards
- Personal information to an unverified caller
What to do if you already replied
- Contact your grandchild or their parents directly to confirm they are safe
- If cash was collected, report it to police as soon as possible
- Contact your bank if any account details were shared
- Report the scam to your national fraud-reporting authority
- Talk to someone you trust — you are not to blame
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot the full message or call details
- Note the sender number, email, or profile
- Save any links (without clicking) and payment details
- Record dates and times