Report this scam attempt

The facts

Date

October 26, 2026

Asked to send

$2,500.00 to Ethan Collins (grandson)

Looks like

Grandparent or family emergency scam

Warning signs

Asked to keep it secret, New number or no phone, Urgent emergency (bail, hospital, arrest)

What happened

SureSend held the payment in PayPal and cancelled it, so the $2,500.00 never left the account. Nothing was lost.

Summary

A scammer pretended to be my grandson Ethan and asked for $2,500 bail money, telling me to keep it secret. I tried to send the money through PayPal, but SureSend held and cancelled the payment. No money was lost.

1. Ethan called from a new number and said he was arrested.
2. He asked for $2,500 bail money and told me not to tell his mother.
3. I attempted to pay the amount through PayPal.
4. SureSend held the payment and cancelled it.
5. The $2,500 never left my account and nothing was lost.

On October 26, 2026 I received a voicemail from someone claiming to be my grandson Ethan. He said he was arrested, needed $2,500 for bail, and asked me to keep it secret. He called from a new number and said he lost his phone. I tried to send the money using PayPal, but SureSend held the payment and cancelled it, so the $2,500 never left my account. No money was lost.

Drafted by SureSend's AI from the check-in. Read it over before you send it.

What to do next

• Verify any emergency request by calling the family member on a known number.
• Never share personal or financial information with a new or unknown phone number.
• Use the payment platform’s protection features and do not complete the transaction if it feels urgent.
• Report the attempt to the Canadian Anti‑Fraud Centre.