“Can You Hear Me?” Scam Uses Your Voice
ROBERTSON COUNTY TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – Ask anyone how they feel about telemarketers and you’ll get a range of answers but until now you could always at least speak to them, not any more, according to a warning released by the Better Business Bureau.
Better Business Bureau is now saying that if you don’t recognize the number, don’t even bother answering it, here’s why.
The BBB is now saying, if a caller asks “Can You Hear Me?” Answering “Yes” is all a scammer needs to trap you.
Previously, the BBB saw this scam directed toward businesses, but now it’s clear the scam has made the leap to everyday citizens, according to the BBB.
How the scam works:
You receive a recorded call from someone who provides an introduction about a business or agency they supposedly represent. Scam reports have indicated that the callers have represented themselves as being from various companies, such as a home security agency, a cruise line or sometimes from the government. After the introduction, the recording will ask if you can hear the caller clearly.
If you answer “yes” there’s a possibility that the scam artist behind the phone call has recorded you and will use your agreement to sign you up for a product or service and then demand payment. If you refuse, the caller may produce your recorded “yes” response to confirm your purchase agreement.
There are other ways scammers might get you to say yes such as:
• Are you the homeowner?
• Are you over 18?
• Do you pay the household bills?
• Do you have a home computer?
• 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.
How to Protect Yourself:
First and foremost, do not answer calls from numbers you do not recognize. If it’s a legitimate contact, they will leave a message. Even if a scammer leaves a message, this will give you time to think about what is being asked of you.
If you do answer and are asked questions that seem to be fishing for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, do not respond and hang up immediately.
For this scam, and all others, never give out any personal identifying information over the phone when you are not sure of the caller.
If you believe you may have fallen for this, contact your bank and credit card companies to flag your accounts. Check your account daily – the earlier you identify unauthorized charges on your accounts, the easier it will be to recover any lost money.
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 FTC’s Do Not Call List.
If you have questions or concerns about this or any other scam, call your BBB at 248.223.9400. For more tips on identifying scams and past scam alerts, visit BBB Scam Alerts.
Source Better Business Bureau
Smokey Barn News (Sponsor/Advertisement)
We bring you ALL the News in and surrounding Robertson County, Tennessee.
