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"It's me, I'm in trouble, send money": the relative-in-trouble scam

Hang up and call the relative back on the number you already have. A call from a new number saying a grandchild or relative has had an accident or been arrested, needs money now, and asks you not to tell the family is a common scam. Callers can now copy a voice with AI from a few seconds of video. A family code word, agreed in advance, settles it in one question.

Last updated 21 October 2026, by the Dekhbhaal team.

How it goes

"Nani, it's me. I've had an accident, my phone broke, this is a friend's phone. Please send ₹40,000 to this UPI. Don't tell Papa, he'll be angry."

Sometimes a second voice takes over: a "police officer" or "hospital" who says the matter can be settled quietly if the money comes now. The voice may sound right. Short clips from social media are enough to copy someone's voice with today's AI tools, and a crying, panicked voice hides the differences anyway.

How to tell it's a fraud

A new number, with a reason why the usual phone isn't working.
Urgency: the money has to go now, before anyone can check.
Secrecy: "don't tell Mummy and Papa".
Payment to a stranger's UPI ID or account, or by gift cards.

What to do right now

Hang up and call the relative, or their parents, on the number you already have.
Ask for the family code word. A word that only your family knows, agreed in advance and never written in a message. Anyone who can't say it is not who they say they are.
Ask a question only the real person could answer, never one whose answer is on social media.

Set a code word today

Pick a word that is easy to remember and not guessable: not a pet's name, not a birthday. Say it to your parents in person or on a call, not in a WhatsApp message. Tell them: if anyone calls in trouble and needing money, ask for the word, and call one of us.

If money has already gone

Call 1930 now. It is India's national cyber-fraud helpline. The first hour matters most: the sooner 1930 hears, the better the chance the money can be held before it moves on.
Call the bank on the number printed on the back of the card or in the bank's own app, and ask them to block the card or account.
File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, with the number that called, the time, and any screenshots.
Report the number on Chakshu, at sancharsaathi.gov.in, so it can be checked and cut off.

And tell your parent it is not their fault. These callers do this all day, and they are good at it. A parent who feels foolish is less likely to tell you next time.

How Dekhbhaal helps

Dekhbhaal is an AI caretaker on your parent's phone, for sons and daughters who live far away. You set the family code word in Dekhbhaal. When your parent says a grandson called in trouble and needing money, Dekhbhaal reminds them to ask for the word and offers to call you. The word itself is never given to the AI, so no one pretending to be Dekhbhaal can say it either. How the scam guard works.

Questions

Can scammers really copy a family member's voice?

Yes. AI tools can copy a voice from a short clip, such as a video posted on social media. That's why a family code word works better than recognising the voice.

What is a family code word?

A word only your family knows, agreed in advance in person or on a call, never in a message. If someone calls claiming to be family and needing money, ask for the word. If they can't say it, hang up and call the family on the numbers you have.

What if it really is an emergency?

A real emergency survives a two-minute check. Call the relative or their parents on the number you already have. If someone is truly hurt, the family will know.

Other scams to know

Dekhbhaal will never ask for an OTP, money or bank details. Anyone who does is a scammer, even if they say they are Dekhbhaal. In an emergency, call 112.