Greg's Corner

The Grandparent Scam Has a New Target: Your Kids

By Greg Collier

The grandparent scam has been around for years.

A scammer calls an older person, claims to be a grandchild in trouble, and creates a crisis that supposedly requires money immediately.

Now, police are warning about a variation that flips the script.

Instead of calling grandparents, scammers may be calling kids.

Police in Gaston County, North Carolina, recently warned about a case in which a child received a call from someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer. The caller allegedly said the child’s mother had been arrested for speeding and demanded $900 through Cash App or Venmo.

The child did something that may have prevented the scam from working.

She checked the story with her father.

Her mother was fine.

The supposed arrest never happened.

And the scammer’s story fell apart.

The Grandparent Scam Comes for the Kids

The classic grandparent scam depends on panic.

A scammer pretends to be a grandchild who has been arrested, injured, stranded, or otherwise needs immediate help. The supposed emergency is designed to keep the victim from stopping to verify what they have been told.

The Gaston County case uses a similar psychological trick, but the target was reportedly a child.

According to the report, the caller claimed to be a law enforcement officer and told the child that her mother was in jail because of a speeding incident. The caller then demanded $900 through Cash App or Venmo.

There was another important clue.

The caller apparently did not know the mother’s name.

Instead, the caller tried to get the child to provide it.

That is a classic information-gathering tactic. Rather than already knowing the supposed victim’s identity, the scammer attempted to get the child to supply the missing information.

Fortunately, the child contacted her father and confirmed that her mother was OK before sending any money.

How the Scam Works

1. The scammer calls a child. The caller claims to be a police officer, sheriff’s deputy, lawyer, or another authority figure.
2. A parent is supposedly in trouble. The child is told that their mother, father, grandparent, or another family member has been arrested or detained.
3. Fear takes over. The scammer presents the situation as an emergency and says something must be done immediately.
4. Money becomes the solution. The victim is told to send hundreds of dollars through Cash App, Venmo, gift cards, or another payment method.
5. The scammer fishes for information. If the caller doesn’t know a family member’s name or other details, they may try to get the child to provide them.
6. Pressure prevents verification. The scammer wants the child to react emotionally rather than call Mom, Dad, another relative, or a trusted adult.

This is where the connection to the grandparent scam becomes important.

The details can change, but the manipulation is essentially the same: Someone you love is supposedly in trouble, and you have to pay right now to make the problem go away.

Why Kids Could Be Vulnerable

Children and teenagers may not have the experience to recognize how unusual the request is.

A caller claiming to be a police officer can sound intimidating. Being told that a parent has been arrested could be terrifying. A teenager who has a phone, access to payment apps, or access to a parent’s financial information could potentially become an attractive target.

The scammer also doesn’t necessarily need to know much about the family.

In the Gaston County case, police said the caller was unable to provide the mother’s name and instead attempted to get the child to say it.

That detail is important because it demonstrates why children should not try to help an unknown caller “fill in the blanks.”

If someone claims to be calling about Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, or another relative, the child does not need to prove anything to them.

They need to contact someone they trust.

Red Flags

• A caller claims that a parent or relative has been arrested.
• The caller says money must be paid immediately.
• The caller claims to be a police officer or other authority figure.
• The caller asks for Cash App, Venmo, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or another unusual payment method.
• The caller cannot provide basic information about the family member supposedly in trouble.
• The caller asks the child to provide the family member’s name or other personal information.
• The caller tells the child not to hang up or not to tell anyone.
• The caller tries to frighten the child into acting before they can contact a parent or another trusted adult.

Quick Tip: Teach kids one simple rule: If a stranger calls saying Mom or Dad is in trouble and needs money, hang up and tell a trusted adult.

What Parents and Guardians Can Do

This is a conversation worth having before the phone rings.

Children should know that legitimate police officers do not call and demand immediate payment to prevent a family member’s arrest or release someone from custody.

Gaston County Police specifically reminded parents and guardians to talk with their children about the scam and share the warning with other families.

Kids should also understand that they are never responsible for solving a supposed family emergency presented by a stranger over the phone.

If someone calls claiming that a parent has been arrested, the child should hang up and immediately contact the parent or another trusted adult.

The child should not provide the caller with names, addresses, school information, birthdays, passwords, or other personal details.

And there is no reason to remain on the phone while a stranger tries to explain why money needs to be sent.

If Your Child Gets the Call

Tell them not to be embarrassed if they received a suspicious call.

Scammers are professionals at creating fear and confusion. Getting a suspicious call does not mean someone did anything wrong.

If money was sent, contact the payment service and financial institution as quickly as possible. Preserve screenshots, transaction information, phone numbers, messages, and other evidence.

If personal information was provided, tell a parent or guardian and consider what accounts or services could potentially be affected.

Most importantly, report the incident to local law enforcement.

Even an unsuccessful scam attempt can provide useful information to investigators and help other families recognize the same scheme.

Final Thoughts

The grandparent scam was never really about grandparents.

It was about exploiting someone’s love for a family member.

Now, the same basic trick may be reaching a younger audience.

Instead of “Grandma, I’m in trouble,” the call becomes, “Your mother is in jail.”

Instead of asking an older relative for help, the scammer puts a child in the position of believing they need to rescue a parent.

That is a frightening thought, but it also gives parents a straightforward opportunity to prepare their children.

Teach them that police don’t demand emergency payments over the phone.

Teach them not to give strangers family information.

Teach them that threats and urgency are reasons to verify, not reasons to obey.

And above all, teach them that if a stranger calls claiming someone they love is in trouble, the first call they should make is to you.