No matter what the scammers say when they initiate the family imposter/ emergency scam, it is sure to spike emotion. Scammers call, claiming to be one of your most cherished loved ones—your grandchild—and ignite fear that those you care about are in dire need. With emotions running high, how can you not engage with the call, stay on the line, and find out more? You are worried and feel helpless because all you have to validate this story is the phone in your hand and the fear of what if.  Verification of the family imposter scam starts with the SLOW method, a scam response strategy I created specifically to pause and identify scams. It urges people to Slow Down, Log the Contact, make One Call to a primary contact to discuss the incident, and call an organization in your life Who Cares, such as the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) at 1-800-649-2424.    Continue reading →