The phrase in query generally refers to a kind of rip-off focusing on people, notably senior residents, the place perpetrators impersonate somebody in want, usually a grandchild or different member of the family, and request rapid monetary help within the type of digital foreign money from a significant on-line retailer.
The strategy leverages emotional manipulation and a way of urgency to bypass crucial considering. Victims are persuaded {that a} beloved one is in a disaster scenario, comparable to being stranded, injured, or in authorized hassle, requiring rapid funds to resolve the difficulty. The requested funds, within the type of redeemable codes, are then despatched to the perpetrator, leading to monetary loss for the sufferer and no precise profit for the supposed member of the family.