Families make plans for emergencies all the time.
You may know who to call if someone gets hurt, where important documents are kept, or who can help with children, pets, or transportation.
It can also be helpful to create a simple plan for unexpected phone calls, text messages, or online requests involving money.
A family verification plan gives everyone a clear way to confirm that a request is legitimate before taking action. It is especially useful when someone claims to be in trouble, needs money quickly, or asks you to keep the situation secret.
The plan does not need to be complicated.
A few conversations and shared habits can make a meaningful difference.
Why Families Need a Verification Plan
Family emergency scams are effective because they create strong emotions.
A caller may claim that a loved one:
- Has been injured
- Has been arrested
- Is stranded while traveling
- Lost a phone or wallet
- Needs money immediately
- Cannot speak freely
New technology can make these messages more convincing. A voice may sound familiar, and a message may include personal details gathered from social media.
But the basic scam has not changed.
The caller wants you to act before you speak with anyone else.
A family verification plan helps replace panic with a simple process.
Four Steps for Building Your Plan
1. Choose Trusted Family Contacts
Decide who family members should contact when an unexpected emergency request arrives.
This may include:
- A spouse or partner
- An adult child
- A sibling
- A parent
- Another trusted relative
- A close family friend
Try to identify at least two people so there is a backup if someone cannot be reached.
Make sure everyone has current phone numbers saved in their contacts.
The goal is simple:
No one should have to make an urgent financial decision alone.
2. Create a Family Verification Phrase
Some families choose a word, phrase, or question that can help verify identity during an unusual situation.
Choose something:
- Easy for family members to remember
- Difficult for someone outside the family to guess
- Not posted on social media
- Not based on commonly known information
Avoid birthdays, pet names, hometowns, school mascots, or other details that may be easy to find online.
The phrase should be used only as one part of verification. It should not replace calling the person back or contacting another family member.
Think of it as an additional check - not the entire plan.
3. Agree on What Everyone Will Do
Create a simple family rule for unexpected requests involving money.
For example:
Before sending money, we will end the conversation and verify the request using a phone number we already know.
Your plan may include these steps:
- Pause and avoid sending money immediately.
- End the original call or conversation.
- Call the family member using a saved phone number.
- Contact another trusted person if they cannot be reached.
- Ask the agreed-upon verification question or phrase.
- Speak with the bank before sending money if anything remains unclear.
Keep the process short enough that everyone can remember it.
4. Talk About Secrecy and Urgency
Make sure everyone understands that certain phrases should trigger the plan.
These may include:
- “Don’t tell anyone.”
- “Don’t call Mom or Dad.”
- “Stay on the phone.”
- “You must send money right now.”
- “You’re the only person who can help.”
- “This is confidential.”
A real emergency may be urgent, but urgency should not prevent verification.
Family members should know they always have permission to pause, end the call, and contact someone else.
Include Older and Younger Family Members
A family verification plan should not be built around the idea that one group is more capable than another.
Anyone can be deceived during a stressful situation.
Older adults may receive grandparent or government impersonation scams. Younger adults may encounter social-media, marketplace, job, or payment-app scams. Teenagers may receive messages involving gaming accounts, social media, or requests from friends whose accounts have been compromised.
The goal is not to single anyone out.
It is to create a shared family habit:
We verify important requests together.
Keep the Plan Easy to Find
Consider writing the plan down and placing it somewhere accessible.
You might include:
- Trusted contact names and phone numbers
- Your verification phrase
- The steps everyone agreed to follow
- The bank’s trusted phone number
- A reminder not to share verification codes
- A reminder not to send money while still on an unexpected call
You could keep a copy:
- Near the home phone
- In a wallet or purse
- With important documents
- In a shared family note
- On the refrigerator
- Saved in a trusted contact list
Avoid storing sensitive account numbers or passwords with the plan.
Review It Occasionally
Family contact information changes.
People move, change phone numbers, travel, or take on new responsibilities.
Review the plan once or twice a year and whenever there is a major family change.
A brief conversation is usually enough:
- Are the phone numbers still current?
- Does everyone remember the process?
- Is the verification phrase still appropriate?
- Is there a new family member who should be included?
What Should You Do?
To create your family verification plan:
✓ Choose at least two trusted contacts.
✓ Agree on a simple verification phrase or question.
✓ Create a clear rule for unexpected money requests.
✓ Talk about urgency and secrecy as warning signs.
✓ Save trusted phone numbers where everyone can find them.
✓ Remind family members that it is always okay to pause and ask for help.
Remember
A family verification plan is not about expecting the worst.
It is about making a stressful situation easier to manage.
When emotions are high, having a simple process can help everyone slow down, confirm what is happening, and make a confident decision.
The most important part of the plan is not the phrase or the phone list.
It is the agreement that no one has to handle an unexpected financial request alone.
Not Sure? Start With Us.
First Bank of Berne can be part of your family verification plan.
Save our trusted phone number and contact us whenever an unexpected request involves your accounts, a payment, or financial information.
We will help you think through the situation, verify what you can, and determine the safest next step.
Helping you and your family bank with confidence is part of what we are here for.