In a grandparent scam targeting the elderly, which approach can help confirm if a caller is the grandchild?

• A. Ask questions only the grandchild would know
• B. Hang up the phone and contact the grandchild directly
• C. Ask relatives if they know of any issues with the grandchild
• D. All of the above

Answer: (D)

This situation hinges on stopping a social-engineering attempt by verifying who is on the other end of the line. To confirm a caller claiming to be the grandchild, combine several independent checks. Asking questions only the grandchild would know tests whether the person really has that intimate family context, making it harder for a scammer to feign. But a crafty scammer might still know or improvise some details, so this alone isn’t foolproof. The safest move is to hang up and contact the grandchild directly using a number you already have or another trusted channel—not the number the caller gave. Asking other relatives whether they’ve heard of any issues with the grandchild adds another layer: if there’s no real reason for concern and no corroboration, that’s a red flag. When you use all these verification steps together, you significantly reduce the risk of falling for the scam, which is why this comprehensive approach is best.