In fact, this is one of the most common scams around. Federal agencies call it the "Grandparent" scam, but it can target anyone. So don't think you're immune.

Here's how it works.

You'll receive a call or email from someone. The person will claim to be a grandchild, niece, nephew or other young relative. They've gotten into a jam and need you to send them cash immediately! Otherwise they'll be stuck in a foreign country or bad things will happen to them.

Of course, if you do send cash it's going into the hands of a scammer.

Now, you might think "I'd never mistake a scammer for my grandkid!" However, scammers have all sorts of tricks to make you believe they're for real.

First, the scammer grabs details about your family from social media sites like Facebook. They can pick up on nicknames and other intimate details. These add a sense of legitimacy to the scam.

An easy fix for this is good Facebook privacy settings. Click here for settings that limit what outsiders can see. 

With good privacy, scammers won't be able to mimic your loved one as easily. Make sure your relatives all secure their Facebook accounts, too.