Key takeaways
- Scammers can use AI voice-cloning software to make a call sound like a family member in trouble. The FTC says all they need is a short audio clip, which may come from content posted online.
- The FTC’s advice: don’t trust the voice. Hang up and call the person back on a number you know is theirs.
- Red flags include urgency, secrecy and demands for wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps or gift cards.
- If you spot a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
This article is general information based on FTC guidance. It can’t cover every scam.
How the scam works
The FTC describes the scenario this way: you get a call from a panicked voice that sounds like your grandson. He says he’s in trouble, perhaps in a car crash or in jail, and needs money. The FTC warns that “a scammer could use AI to clone the voice of your loved one.” It says the scammer needs only “a short audio clip of your family member’s voice — which he could get from content posted online — and a voice-cloning program.”
The FTC adds that scammers may also:
- already know details about you or the person they pretend to be, gathered from social media or from hacking a family member’s email, and sometimes simply guess,
- pretend to be an “authority figure,” such as a fake lawyer, police officer or doctor, to sound more convincing and scare you.
What these scams have in common
According to the FTC:
- It’s urgent, and you’re “the only one who can help.”
- You’re told to keep it secret, so you won’t talk to other family members and realise it’s a scam.
- They play with your emotions, counting on you to pay without checking whether there’s really an emergency.
- They tell you how to pay, in ways that are hard to reverse: wiring money through a company like Western Union or MoneyGram, sending cryptocurrency, using a payment app, or buying a gift card and reading out the numbers on the back.
What to do if you get the call
The FTC says: “don’t trust the voice on the line — even if it sounds like your family member.” Its steps:
- Resist the pressure. Hang up, or say you’ll call right back. If you don’t want to hang up, ask a question only the real person would know, such as “What kind of dog do you have?”
- Call them on a number you know is right. Use the number you already have, not one the caller gives you, and ask whether they’re really in trouble.
- Call someone else in the family or a friend, even if the caller told you to keep it secret. This matters most if you can’t reach the person who is supposedly in trouble.
If you’ve already sent money
The FTC says: “No matter how you paid a scammer, the sooner you act, the better.” Scammers choose payment methods that are tough to reverse. The FTC has a separate page on how to try to get your money back, so check it as soon as possible.
Report it
Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.
A family plan
The FTC page doesn’t suggest this, but many families agree on a way to confirm identity before an emergency happens. Whatever you choose, remember the FTC’s main point: verify using a phone number you know is real. For other scams that arrive by email or text, see our guide on how to spot a phishing email.
Frequently asked questions
Can scammers really copy a voice? The FTC says a scammer could clone a voice with a short audio clip and a voice-cloning program.
What if it really is my relative? Calling them back on their own number will settle it quickly, and a real relative won’t mind the check.
Which payment methods are red flags? Wire transfers, cryptocurrency, payment apps and gift cards, according to the FTC.
Information checked on: October 30, 2026. Scams change, so check the FTC’s current guidance.
Sources
- FTC, Scammers Use Fake Emergencies To Steal Your Money (September 2023)
- FTC, Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes (March 20, 2023)