Operation Senior Shield warns about ‘grandchild in trouble’ scam

Staff report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Operation Senior Shield, an alert system from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, has issued a warning about a scam in which a grandchild says they’re in trouble and pushes the grandparent to send money quickly.

In this scam, a grandparent receives calls or emails pretending to be their grandchild in trouble – maybe in an accident, arrested, or needing money fast. The messages push the grandparent to send money quickly, often through wire transfers, gift cards, or cash. They may also tell the grandparent not to tell anyone, to make them act with a false sense of urgency.

RED FLAGS

• A caller urgently claims to be your grandchild in trouble but begs you not to tell other family members.
• They demand immediate payment through gift cards, wire transfer, or cash delivery.

TIPS:

• Create a family “safe-word” or password to help you decipher legitimate emergencies from AI-cloned voice scams
• Confirm their identity. Call back using a known number for the family member in question.

Sign up for Operation Senior Shield alerts here.