“Grandma, I’m in Trouble”: The New Wave of Impostor Scams
The voice on the other end of the line sounds just like your grandson. He is scared. He has been in an accident. He needs money for bail. He does not want his parents to know.
It feels real. It may not be him at all.
Artificial intelligence now makes it possible for scammers to clone a voice from a few seconds of audio pulled from social media. Combine that with a panicked story, and even careful people can be caught off guard. This is one example of a larger category called impostor scams, where someone pretends to be a person or company you trust to pressure you into sending money or sharing information.
May is National Elder Law Month. The 2026 theme, Protecting Rights, Fighting Scams, is a chance to talk openly about how these tactics work so families can recognize them before they cause harm.
What impostor scams look like
Scammers most often pose as:
- A familiar company (Amazon, FedEx, Netflix, Microsoft) calling about a charge or account problem
- A bank claiming suspicious activity on your account
- A family member in trouble, often a grandchild
- A law enforcement officer or hospital staffer with urgent news about a loved one
Whatever the story, the playbook is the same. Create fear or urgency. Push you to act before you can think. Move you to a payment method that is hard to reverse: wire transfer, gift cards, or a cash app.
Red flags to watch for
- A call, text, or email with an activated link about suspicious account activity
- A caller asking for your password or PIN; real companies never do this
- A relative who insists you keep the call secret from other family members
- A request for payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer
- A caller who refuses to let you hang up and call back
How to stay ahead of the scammers
- Urgency is the scammer’s best friend. The moment you feel rushed, slow down.
- Hang up and call back using a number you already trust. For a family member, call another relative first to confirm.
- Set up a family safe word. Pick a phrase only your family knows and use it whenever someone claims to be in trouble.
- Never click the link in an unexpected text or email. Go directly to the company’s website.
- Limit what you share online. Public birthday posts, vacation photos, and tagged family details give scammers what they need to sound convincing.
Where elder law planning comes in
Most impostor scams target the person living alone, the surviving spouse, or the family member who handles the money. Estate plans, powers of attorney, and trusts work best when families talk openly about who is involved and how decisions get made. When a scammer says “do not tell your kids,” a family that already talks about money has a built-in defense.
At Everbright Legacy Law, our Life Care Planning approach is built on those conversations. Our attorneys and licensed social workers work together with families to map out who is involved, what documents are in place, and how to communicate when something feels off. The result is a plan, and a network, that strangers cannot easily slip past.
Where to turn for help
- National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-FRAUD-11
- AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center: IC3.gov (report wire transfers within 72 hours)
- Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center (MAARC): 1-844-880-1574
If you are not sure whether a recent call was real, contact us. We would rather take a quick question than help unwind a loss. Call us at (952) 925-4147 or email hello@everbrightlegacy.com.
