MENTOR, Ohio -- A holiday scam could cost your family thousands with just a phone call.

The scam targets the elderly who fear their grandchildren are in trouble, NewsChannel5 reported.

It happened to the Augustine family in Mentor and they want to make sure it doesn't happen to you.

The family said the scam started with a phone call.

"'Grandma, I'm in trouble. I got caught up in Canada drunk driving and I need money. I need $3,000. Can you send me money?' My mom goes, 'Matt?'" Cecilia Augustine said about the call to her mother.

Unfortunately, it wasn't Matt on the phone.

"I wasn't in Canada. I was at my buddy's house. There's no way that was me," said Matt Augustine.

The caller now had Matt's name and that was enough to brush away any suspicions.

"She said, 'It doesn't sound like you. You sound funny.' The gentleman on the other end said, 'Well, I have a cold,'" Cecilia said.

After the 77-year-old sent the cash, the phone rang again. This time, "Canadian authorities" were on the line. They wanted $2,800 in order for "Matt" to get a lawyer.

Matt's grandmother went to the local Wal-Mart to wire more money. This time, a store employee intervened.

"The young gal said, 'This doesn't sound right.' She goes, 'I'm not giving you the money, gram.' She says, 'You go back and you make some phone calls and find out what's going on,'" Cecilia said.

A phone call to Matt's mother helped reveal the scam.

Local police are trying to track down the caller and the cash, but both are probably long gone.

"I just feel horrible that this happened to my mother. I mean, money's hard to come by right now, times are very hard and that's a lot of money for somebody," Cecilia said.

Here's what you can do so this scam doesn't happen to you or a loved one. Don't offer names. Instead, force the caller to reveal their identity by asking, who they are?

Confirm the whereabouts of a loved one who calls for help with another family member.

Don't give unsolicited callers a credit card number.

And if you think you have received a similar call, contact your local police department.