An urgent voice note, text, or video is not proof of identity—even when it uses a familiar name, voice, or face. Do not continue inside the incoming conversation. Pause, disconnect, and contact the person through a route you already trust.
Do this first
- Do not pay or disclose anything. Never share a password, one-time security code, card number, or identity document in response to an unverified request.
- End the conversation. Do not use a link, number, or account supplied by the requester.
- Call a saved number. Use a number already in your contacts. If the person does not answer, contact another relative or trusted person who can check on them.
- Ask a useful question. Confirm something relevant to the current situation. A prearranged family safe-word plan can add another check, but it should not replace calling back independently.
- Verify organizations separately. Open the official app yourself, use the number printed on a card, or type the organization’s known website address. Do not trust caller ID by itself.
- Record what happened. Save the message, username, number, time, and requested payment method without engaging further.
Read the result correctly
- The relative answers and is safe: block and report the impersonating account. Warn other family members who might receive the same approach.
- Nobody can reach the relative: that uncertainty is not proof that the incoming request was real. Keep trying trusted contacts. If there is a credible immediate safety concern, contact local emergency services.
- The requester resists verification: pressure to stay on the line, keep a secret, or avoid another person is a warning sign. Stop engaging.
- An organization says there is no issue: use its official fraud-reporting route and protect any account details you revealed.
Avoid a second mistake
Do not send a small “test” payment, provide a code to prove who you are, or install remote-access software. Do not confront the sender with personal facts they could reuse in a later attempt. Verification should move away from the requester’s channel and back to people and services you chose independently.
If the approach arrived as a call, follow the suspicious voice-call checklist. If anything has already been sent or disclosed, move immediately to the containment steps.