Grandparent or family-emergency call for bail or ransom
Someone calls, often sounding panicked, and claims a child or grandchild is in trouble and needs money right away for bail, travel, or a medical bill. Hang up and reach that family member using a number you already know.
How it works
The caller pretends to be a relative in trouble, or a lawyer, police officer, or other official calling on that person's behalf. They say the loved one needs cash for bail, to leave another country, or to cover an urgent bill. They often ask you to keep the situation secret and to pay with a wire, gift cards, or another hard-to-reverse method. This is a common gift-card and emergency scam described in 2026 state alerts. The kind step is to pause, hang up, and check with the family member or another relative you trust.
Red flags
- The caller demands money immediately and asks you to keep the situation secret.
- They want payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency.
- You cannot reach the relative on a number you already have while the caller stays on the line.
- The story is designed to make you panic before you can think it through.
What to do
- Hang up. Call your family member or another trusted relative on a number you already have.
- Do not buy gift cards or wire money based on the call.
- Report the call at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to local law enforcement if you sent money.
- If you already shared gift-card numbers, contact the card issuer right away and report it to the FTC.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.