If only fraudsters would use their creativity for good instead of thinking up imaginative new (evil) schemes in order to fleece their intended targets. The “multistage grandparents scam” is new iteration of the classic “grandparents scam.” In the original version, a single scammer contacts their mark and poses as a grandchild in need of help, which can be anything from needing quick money for bail, a desperate car repair or whatever fictitious dire emergency these fraudsters can conjure up.

This newest scheme takes a more organized approach with fraudsters recruiting young people to staff backroom call centers who receive small commissions for each successfully completed scam. These “staffers” work as a kind of tag team with one scammer posing as a grandchild in dire need who then provides a bogus case number and accompanying phone number to the unsuspecting grandparent. The grandparent then calls that phone number and another scammer-staffer will answer with, “Oh, do you have the case number?” This is all just a subtle psychological trick to make the particular scam appear credible. The first young fraudster sounds frantic, the second fraudster will sound mature and businesslike, maybe even take a sympathetic tone. But it’s all fraud theatre, a performance designed to steal money.

One variation of the multistage grandparents scam involves a co-conspirator to pose as a courier and actually visit the home of a targeted grandparent to pick up money in person. You have to admit, that’s pretty ballsy, especially if the intended mark has a Ring camera installed.

What you should do if you suspect you’re a target

Should someone call you from an unfamiliar number claiming to be a family member in trouble, the Federal Communications Commission recommends that you hang up, then call or text the family member’s actual phone number to find out if that loved one is truly in trouble. If they don’t answer and you are concerned that the emergency might be real, contact other family members or friends for verification.

More information and advice from experts

‘Grandparent’ Scams Get More Sophisticated

Grandparents often have a hard time saying no to their grandchildren, which is something scam artists know all too well.

Scammers who gain access to consumers’ personal information – by mining social media or purchasing data from cyber thieves – can create storylines to prey on the fears of grandparents. The scammers call and impersonate a grandchild – or another close relative – in a crisis situation, asking for immediate financial assistance. Sometimes these callers “spoof” the caller ID to make an incoming call appear to be coming from a trusted source.

Often the imposter claims to have been in an accident or arrested. The scammer may ask the grandparent “please don’t let mom and dad know,” and may hand the phone over to someone posing as a lawyer seeking immediate payment.

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The Grandparents Scam: What it is and how to prevent

Seniors are the most susceptible to scams of any age group. Their financial health and smaller social circles make them attractive targets for fraudsters, and their trusting nature makes them vulnerable. Even worse — when seniors think their family is in trouble, the risk of falling for a scam goes through the roof.

In 2023, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received over 200 grandparent scam complaints from people over the age of 60. These victims were tricked into believing their grandchildren needed help and were conned out of approximately $2.3 million, amounting to an average of $11,500/victim.

By learning more about these dangerous senior scams, however, you can spot the warning signs early on to prevent yourself and your loved ones from falling victim to them.

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Multi-stage grandparent scam

The grandparent scam has been around for years, but criminals have figured out a way to be even more convincing.

How the scam works: Scammers still use the classic approach of calling and claiming to be a grandchild or other family member in trouble with the law and in need of money. However, the call for help appears more legitimate now because you are provided a number to call to make a payment and a case number to reference. In some cases, “couriers” are sent to victims’ homes to pick up payments.

What you should do: If you get a call from someone claiming to be a family member in need, hang up and call the family member directly. If you can’t reach that family member, contact his or her parents or siblings to find out if there is a problem. Don’t believe any warnings you might have received in the initial call to not reach out to other family members or anyone else.

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