On March 7, the FCC issued a consumer alert about “grandparent scam” robocalls targeting elderly individuals. The alert highlighted various tactics used in the scams, including using the personal information of real people, such as names and travel plans, to pose as grandchildren and deceive grandparents into giving away their money, and using AI technology to “clone” the actual grandchildren’s real voices, making their deception more convincing.

The alert coincided with a DOJ indictment against 25 Canadian nationals charged with defrauding elderly individuals in over 40 states through such scams. According to the indictment, the scammers falsely claimed to be relatives of elderly victims, typically grandchildren, who were supposedly arrested and needed bail money.