New Twist on an Old Scam

A new twist on an old phone scam aims to find new ways to make you say one simple word: “yes.” The Better Business Bureau says the “can you hear me?” phone call scam has been around for a long time. The goal of the scam is to make you answer “yes.” Your answer will then be recorded and can be used to inauthentically authorize a purchase. Once the potential victim answers the phone, the caller will ask something along the lines of “can you hear me?” The newest twist is asking “is this [your name]?” Again, the point is to elicit a “yes” answer. Most of the time, the caller isn’t even a real person. It’s a robocall. The BBB says the most effective way to protect against this scam is to hang up the phone. While the BBB has not received any reports of anyone losing money to these scams, they say the future with them is unknown.