The Grandchild in Trouble Call

The simulator

1. Step 1 of 6 First contact

   The phone rings. It’s a number you don’t recognize, but you answer in case it’s important.

   Incoming call

   Caller ID: (514) 555-0148

   1. Caller (crying): “Grandma? It’s me. I’m in trouble. I’m so sorry.”
   2. Caller (crying): “I think my nose is broken. I can hardly talk.”

   Read this aloud

   What do you say?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   Has the caller said who they are? Or are they waiting for you to say it?

   1. “Jake, is that you? What’s happened?”

      Risky choice

      It’s the most natural thing to say, and it’s exactly what the caller was waiting for. Now they have a name, and from here on they’ll be “Jake”. These callers often don’t know which grandchild they’re pretending to be until you tell them.

   2. “Who is this, please?”

      Better, but not the safest

      Better. You haven’t handed over a name. But a practiced caller will dodge the question (“Grandma, it’s me, don’t you know my voice?”) and keep talking, and a copied voice can sound just right. A question only your family can answer is stronger.

   3. “What’s our family safe word?” If they can’t say it, hang up and call my grandchild on the number I already have.

      Safe choice

      That’s the safest move. A copied voice can sound exactly right, but it can’t know a word your family only ever shared in person. If you don’t have a safe word yet, hang up and call your grandchild, or their parents, on a number you already have.

   Red flags at this step

   • A call from a number you don’t know
   • A crying or muffled voice that’s hard to recognize (“my nose is broken”)
   • The caller doesn’t say their name

   What's really going on

   Criminals can now copy a real person’s voice with AI (artificial intelligence). Starling Bank warns that as little as three seconds of audio, such as a clip from a video posted online, can be enough, and 28% of UK adults it surveyed said they’d been targeted by a voice-cloning scam in the past year. The FBI advises every family to agree on a secret word or phrase. Many callers don’t even need AI: crying and “a broken nose” cover up a voice that isn’t quite right.

2. Step 2 of 6 The hook

   Scammers usually brush questions aside and keep talking. Here’s what the voice says next.

   On a call

   Caller ID: (514) 555-0148

   1. Caller (crying): “I was in a car accident. A pregnant woman was hurt, and the police arrested me.”
   2. Caller (crying): “I need money for bail or they’ll keep me in jail. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad. They’ll be so angry. You’re the only one I can ask.”

   Read this aloud

   What do you do?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   Why would someone in real trouble not want their parents to know?

   1. Promise not to tell anyone, and ask how much they need.

      Risky choice

      Anyone would want to help a frightened grandchild. But agreeing to keep it secret cuts you off from the one thing that would end the scam: a quick call to the rest of the family. The caller now knows you’re willing to pay.

   2. Stay on the line and ask more about the accident, to be sure it’s really them.

      Better, but not the safest

      Asking questions is better than agreeing, but it keeps you on the phone with someone who has an answer ready for everything. The longer the call goes on, the more worried you’ll feel. It’s safer to hang up and check.

   3. Say “I love you, and I’m going to call your mom right now,” then hang up and call the family.

      Safe choice

      Exactly right. A grandchild in real trouble would want their parents to know. Very often, one call shows your grandchild is safe at home, school or work. If you can’t reach anyone, call another relative before you do anything else.

   Red flags at this step

   • A sudden emergency: an accident, an arrest, an injured stranger
   • “Please don’t tell Mom and Dad”
   • You’re the only one who can help, and it has to be now

   What's really going on

   These scripts are written to rush you past thinking. The story is frightening and urgent, and the plea for secrecy has a purpose: it stops you checking with the family. AARP describes calls just like this one, with a car accident, an injured pregnant woman and a demand for bail.

3. Step 3 of 6 Winning your trust

   Suppose you stay on the line. The voice says someone needs to speak to you, and a calm, polite man comes on.

   On a call

   Caller ID: (514) 555-0148

   1. Caller: “Good morning, ma’am. My name is David Moore. I’m the public defender assigned to your grandson’s case.”
   2. Caller: “The judge has set bail at $9,500. I’m afraid there’s also a gag order on the case. If anyone else learns about it, including his parents, he stays in custody.”
   3. Caller: “Your case number is 24-1187. You can call me back on this number at any time.”

   Read this aloud

   What do you do?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   Could a court really stop you from talking to your own family?

   1. Believe him. He sounds professional, he has a case number, and he’s given me his number.

      Risky choice

      A calm voice and a case number are props. The number he offers goes straight back to the same group of criminals, so calling it only confirms the story. A real lawyer doesn’t collect bail money from a grandparent over the phone.

   2. Ask which police station is holding my grandson, then hang up and look up that station’s number myself.

      Better, but not the safest

      Good thinking: a number you find yourself is one you can trust. Expect him to push back, or to name a place far away. Calling your grandchild or their parents first is quicker, and it usually settles the matter.

   3. Hang up. A gag order that stops me telling his own parents makes no sense. Call the family.

      Safe choice

      Well done. The gag order is invented to keep you on your own, away from anyone who could spot the lie. Call your grandchild and their parents on numbers you already have.

   Red flags at this step

   • A second person takes over: a “lawyer”, “public defender” or “police officer”
   • A “gag order” that means you can’t tell anyone
   • A case number, and a call-back number the caller gave you

   What's really going on

   Passing you from one “official” to another makes the story feel real. In 2025, the US Justice Department charged 25 people over call centers around Montreal that it says took more than $21 million this way. Callers posed as grandchildren, then as attorneys, and told victims a “gag order” meant they couldn’t tell anyone. The FBI says scammers warn that breaking the judge’s gag order will send the grandchild to jail.

4. Step 4 of 6 The ask

   If you keep listening, the lawyer explains how to pay. He offers you two ways.

   On a call

   Caller ID: (514) 555-0148

   1. Caller: “The court can’t take a card or a check for this. It has to be cash.”
   2. Caller: “A court courier can collect it from your home at 3 o’clock this afternoon. Or, if you prefer, put the cash inside a book and send it by overnight mail to an address I’ll give you.”

   Read this aloud

   How do you pay?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   Have you ever heard of bail being picked up at someone’s front door?

   1. Let the courier collect it. That feels safer than mailing cash.

      Risky choice

      The “courier” works for the scammers, or is a rideshare driver they’ve hired who has no idea what’s in the envelope. Once the cash leaves your hands, it is almost impossible to get back. Anyone coming to your door to collect bail is part of the scam.

   2. Hide the cash in a book and mail it overnight, as he says.

      Risky choice

      Hiding cash in a book or magazine is a trick to get it through the mail without anyone noticing. No court or lawyer asks for bail in a parcel. Once it’s in the mail, it’s out of your hands and on its way to the criminals.

   3. Neither. Real bail isn’t handed to a stranger at the door or hidden in a parcel. Hang up, call the family, and call the police if someone is on their way.

      Safe choice

      That’s right. If a courier is already on the way, call 911 (or your country’s emergency number) and don’t open the door. The police would much rather hear from you now than after the money has gone.

   Red flags at this step

   • Cash only, collected at your door by a “courier” or “bail bondsman”
   • Being told to hide cash in a book or magazine and mail it
   • A pickup only a few hours away

   What's really going on

   The FBI says grandparent scammers ask for cash packed in magazines or books and sent through the mail, or handed to couriers, sometimes rideshare drivers who don’t know they’re part of a scam. In the Montreal case, people posing as bail bondsmen collected the money at victims’ homes. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre points out that the Canadian justice system does not allow anyone to be bailed out of jail with cash or cryptocurrency.

5. Step 5 of 6 The ask

   Many people in this situation do go to the bank. On the way, a text arrives from the lawyer’s number. At the counter, the teller looks at the withdrawal slip.

   ?

   (514) 555-0148Text message

   This sender is not in your contacts.

   1. They wrote: Remember the gag order. If the bank asks, say the cash is for a car. Do not mention your grandson.11:52 am

   The teller says: “$9,500 is a lot of cash to carry. Do you mind me asking what it’s for?”

   Read this aloud

   What do you tell the teller?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   Who told you what to say, and why would they need to?

   1. Say it’s for a car, as the lawyer said. I don’t want to break the gag order.

      Risky choice

      That’s the cover story the scammers gave you, because they know bank staff are trained to spot this scam. Using it silences the one person in the room who could stop it. There is no real gag order to break.

   2. Tell the truth: “My grandson’s lawyer says he needs bail, and I’m not supposed to tell anyone.”

      Safe choice

      That’s the best thing you can do, and it takes courage. Bank staff are trained to spot this, and they can help you check the story before any money leaves your account.

   Red flags at this step

   • Being told what to say to your bank
   • Being asked to keep the real reason secret
   • A large cash withdrawal for someone you haven’t been able to speak to yourself

   What's really going on

   Scammers coach people to give tellers a cover story, such as buying a car or paying for home repairs, because a teller who hears the real reason will often recognize the scam. Telling the truth doesn’t break any rule. The gag order is part of the script, and your bank is on your side.

6. Step 6 of 6 Afterwards

   Suppose the money was handed over. The next day, the phone rings again.

   Incoming call

   Caller ID: (514) 555-0148

   1. Caller: “Ma’am, it’s David Moore again. I’m sorry to tell you the other driver is suing, and the judge has raised the bail.”
   2. Caller: “We need another $8,000 by this afternoon, or your grandson goes back into custody. The courier can come at the same time as yesterday.”

   Read this aloud

   What do you do?

   Not sure? Show a hint

   If the story were true, would it keep costing more?

   1. Pay it. I’ve come this far, and I can’t let him down now.

      Risky choice

      This is how one loss becomes two or three. The scammers now know you’ll pay, so the story keeps growing: higher bail, a lawsuit, hospital bills. None of it is real, and it stops only when the money does.

   2. Stop. Call my grandchild and their parents, then call my bank and the police.

      Safe choice

      That’s right. Once you speak to your grandchild, the whole story falls apart. Call your bank straight away, report what happened, and tell the police if a courier came to your home. You have nothing to be ashamed of: these scripts are written by professionals.

   Red flags at this step

   • A second demand after you’ve already paid
   • “The bail has gone up” or “the other driver is suing”
   • The same courier coming back

   What's really going on

   In the Montreal case, some victims were allegedly called again and told the bail had gone up. NPR reported that the group kept spreadsheets of the people it targeted, including their age and household income. If you’ve been caught, call your bank, report it, and warn the rest of the family, because scammers often call back or try other relatives.