Grandparent scams have become common across Canada in recent years. A scammer will reach out to a grandparent (or a parent) to ask for urgent financial help. They will usually impersonate a grandchild, a lawyer, or a law enforcement official. They instruct the grandparent to transfer funds from the grandparent’s account, or they may even show up at the grandparent’s door asking for cash. In some cases, they may even use artificial intelligence tools to more effectively impersonate a specific person.

Be alert if you receive a communication where your child or grandchild urgently needs funds, especially if you are asked to send the funds to a third party. The scammer will usually claim that the grandchild has run into medical or legal trouble, or that they need funds to replace a damaged phone.

Watch for these red flags:

• The caller is demanding, threatening, or verbally abusive
• The caller attempts to keep you on the phone for an extended period
• The caller instructs you to lie or keep your communications secret
• The caller asks for funds via wire transfer, deposit to a Bitcoin ATM, gift cards, or an e-transfer to anyone other than your grandchild
• The caller asks for funds to be sent directly to your grandchild, then gives you new payment instructions (“Can you send the funds to my new email address? The old one is blocked…”)
• The caller attempts to send a person to your home posing as a law enforcement officer or bail bondsperson

How to protect yourself

Never give out your personal or banking information to a stranger who contacts you unexpectedly, especially if they try to rush you or warn you that something terrible will happen if you delay. In cases where your family member is really in trouble, you will still be able to help after verifying the situation.

“Scammers will try to make grandparents so worried for their family member that they act instead of asking questions,” says Coastal Community Fraud Administrator, Cheryl Bleasdale. “This type of scam will fall apart under scrutiny, so end the call and contact your grandchild directly at their usual phone number.”

Let’s work together to prevent fraud

Coastal Community works around the clock to safeguard your accounts. If you suspect fraud, click here to report it right away.

Learning how to recognize fraud is the first step to protecting yourself.