‘Can You Hear Me?’ Whatever You Do, Don’t Say ‘Yes’: Phone Scam Alert

Whatever you do, don’t say “yes” when you pick up the phone and the caller asks, “Can you hear me?” If you do, there’s a chance the caller will have recorded your affirmative answer and will use it as an “agreement” to sign up for a service or product and try to pry your hard-earned cash out of your bank account. If you protest, the scammer will use your recorded “yes” as proof of a purchase agreement, the Better Business Bureau is warning.

“Keep in mind, a scammer may already have gotten their hands on some of your personal information, such as credit card numbers, which they can use in tandem with your recorded affirmation to push through charges,” the BBB says.

The scam has been around for a while, but mostly has been directed at businesses. But the consumer protection group says it has been hearing from some individuals through its BBB Scam Tracker that they’ve been victims, too.

People who have reported the scam calls to the BBB say callers have represented themselves as being from a home security agency, a cruise line or the Social Security Administration. They might also ask if you’re a homeowner, if you’re over 18, if you pay the household bills or if you have a home computer.

• If you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer your phone. Legitimate contacts will leave messages. Even if a scammer leaves a message, this will give you time to think about what is being asked of you.
• Hang up on unsolicited robocalls from organizations and businesses. If you’re already on the Do Not Call Registry, it’s likely a scam, the BBB says. Don’t answer any calls in the affirmative, with answers such as “yes,” “sure,” “OK” or anything similar.
• If you are asked a similar question in a phone call, or are asked to press a button to be placed on the Do Not Call Registry, don’t speak or push the button. The BBB says that either response tells the scammer your phone number is active. Government agencies don’t solicit for the Do Not Call Registry, the BBB said.
• In this scam, or in any others, don’t give out any personal identifying information.
• If you think you’ve already been had, contact your bank and credit card companies and ask them to flag your account. Check your account daily. The earlier you identify fraudulent charges, the easier it is to get your money back.
• Write down the phone number of those callers violating the Do Not Call Registry and file a scam report with BBB Scam Tracker and the Federal Trade Commission’s Do Not Call List.

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