COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — More elderly people are falling victim to the so-called grandparent scam, prompting a warning from the FBI during this holiday season.

In the grandparent scam, a con-artist calls a senior citizen who they are hoping is a grandparent, and claims to be their grandchild and convinces them to wire or mail money.

Unfortunately, the numbers show it works. 

According to the FBI, from January through September of this year, the bureau’s internet crime complaint center received more than 195 victim complaints regarding grandparent scams, resulting in nearly $2 million dollars lost.

“The key thing with grandparent scams, or scams that affect the elderly, is really understanding how they become vulnerable to these types of scams,” said consumer affairs manager with the Ohio Department of Commerce Viktoria Jurkovic.

The scammers prey on the trust an older consumer may have, or a lack of comfort with and understanding of evolving technology.

Jurkovic said the key to preventing a grandparent scam from happening to a loved one is to always have an open dialogue with elderly family members. 

“Understanding what they’re doing, even having a day-to-day conversation with them as to when they’re going to the bank and why they’re going to the bank,” Jurkovic said. “Asking those questions and listening to what they have to say is key to really understanding if something’s happening that you’re not knowledgeable about.”

If someone claiming to be a family member reaches out over the phone, hang up and call them back to avoid falling victim to the scam. Then, report it to agencies like the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the Federal Trade Commission or the Federal Communications Commission.