One of the most heartbreaking scams is one where the victim receives a call, text or email from a loved one claiming that they’re in trouble and need financial help. It happens all to often and can decimate your savings in the blink of an eye. And that’s on top of the emotional damage from being the victim of a scam.

In the heat of the moment, and because the caller stresses that it’s urgent, it can be easy to believe that it really is your grandchild or other loved one who’s in trouble. Scammers are really good at convincing you that they are someone they’re not. Information gleaned from social media or a hacked account can make the scam even more convincing. The get you to send money right away before you have time to think about it or check out their story.

Before sending money, take a breath and try to verify the information. Call the family member’s number directly and speak to them. Have another family member verify the claim as well.

What else to do: Report the scam to the FTC (information at the bottom of this page) and let other friends know of the scam. It could happen to them to, and the more we spread awareness, the sooner we can try to slow down or stop the scammers