A caller sounds like your relative and needs emergency money

A familiar voice can be imitated with AI, and a caller may already know family names from public posts. Panic and secrecy are the mechanism: the caller says there is an arrest, injury or other crisis and demands payment before you can speak to anyone else. Treat the story as unverified even when the voice is convincing.

Before you start​

Keep the number you normally use for your relative or another trusted family contact. Do not use a number dictated by the caller. If someone may really be in immediate danger, use the appropriate local emergency service independently.

Do it step by step​

1. End the incoming call. Do not send a transfer, gift-card code or cryptocurrency while the caller keeps you on the line.
2. Call your relative on their saved number. If unanswered, contact another person who can reach them in person or through a known channel.
3. Ask for an independently verifiable fact about the supposed emergency, such as the hospital or police department, and look up that institution's number yourself.
4. Compare the story with what your relative or institution actually confirms. Be skeptical of instructions to keep the crisis secret from other family members.
5. If money has already moved, immediately contact the bank or payment provider, describe the fraud and request a recall or dispute where possible. Report the impersonation to the relevant platform and authority.

Check the result​

A trusted second channel should confirm both the person's identity and the specific need before you make any payment decision. Silence or a familiar-sounding voice alone confirms neither.

If something goes wrong​

The person may be unreachable. Wait, contact other family or the independently verified institution, and do not let the caller invent a deadline for your verification.

Know the limit​

A family code word may help but can be disclosed or guessed. The stronger check is a callback through contact details established before the incident. Recovery of a completed transfer is not guaranteed. FTC family-emergency guidance