Lesson 2 of 4
Track 3 · Lesson 2
The grandchild voice scam
This is the scam that has caused the most heartbreak among older adults in recent years. A phone call. A voice that sounds exactly like someone you love. An urgent plea for help. This lesson explains how it works — and gives you a simple, powerful way to protect yourself.
A scammer can copy anyone's voice using AI. Your defence is a secret family code word that no scammer could ever know.
Understand how it works
Scammers record a few seconds of a person's voice — from a social media video, a voicemail, anywhere — and use AI to clone it. They can then make that cloned voice say anything. They call you pretending to be your grandchild, your child, or another family member. They say they are in trouble — arrested, injured, stranded abroad — and need money urgently. They beg you not to tell other family members. They say there is no time. This is all designed to bypass your thinking and go straight to your heart.
The family code word — your best defence
The single most effective protection against this scam is a secret code word known only to your family. Choose a random word together — something simple and memorable that has no obvious connection to your family. Examples: Mango. Lighthouse. Purple umbrella. If you ever receive a suspicious call from someone claiming to be a family member, ask them for the code word. A real family member will know it. A scammer never will.
What to do if you get a suspicious call
If you receive a call that makes you worried — even if the voice sounds exactly like someone you love — follow these steps. Do not act immediately, no matter how urgent it sounds. Hang up. Call your family member directly on the number you already have for them. If they answer normally, the earlier call was a scam. If you cannot reach them, call another family member to check. Never send money, gift cards, or bank transfers in response to an unexpected phone call.
- Real emergencies can wait the 2 minutes it takes to verify
- Genuine family members will understand why you are checking
- Gift cards and wire transfers are how scammers get paid — a real person in trouble will not ask for these
Set this up today
Call or message your family and agree on a code word together. Write it down somewhere safe at home. This single step could prevent real harm.
Important
If someone on the phone tells you NOT to call other family members — that is the clearest sign it is a scam. Real family members never ask you to keep secrets from each other in an emergency.
This scam works because it targets love, not greed. Being fooled by it would not be your fault — these calls are designed by professionals to be convincing. The code word removes that vulnerability entirely.
Your turn
Practice with Iris
Ask Iris to role-play a suspicious phone call scenario with you — she can help you practise staying calm and asking the right questions.
Practice with Iris