New York Scam Alert- Hang Up Immediately If You Hear These 4 Words

If you end up answering the phone, security experts say you should hang up if the caller begins with these four words:

What Every New York Resident Needs to Know About the “Can You Hear Me” Scam

The Better Business Bureau explains that they’ve received many reports from people who say they’ve received a phone call from a number they don’t recognize where the caller asked “can you hear me” and then immediately hung up after the person they called said “yes.” They’ve also seen variations of the scam where the caller continues the conversation, posing as a legitimate business like a bank or insurance company.

The BBB explains the scammers behind the calls have one goal: getting you to respond yes and recording that response. In the future, they could use that recording to impersonate you while authorizing a major purchase.

You get a call from someone who almost immediately asks, “Can you hear me?” Their goal is to get you to answer “Yes,” which most people would do instinctively in that situation. There may be some fumbling around; the person may even say something like, “I’m having trouble with my headset,” or “I’ll call you right back.” But in fact, the “person” may be a robocall recording your conversation, and that “Yes” answer you gave could later be edited to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase. Your “Yes” could also confirm to the scammer that the phone number they dialed is a real number, enabling future targeting of phone call scams.

They may also be looking for you to say yes so that they know that your number is active, making you a target for future scams. That’s why the BBB says the best thing that you can do if they receive a call like this is hang up immediately. Don’t say “yes.” Don’t let them lead you into another question where you may respond “yes.”

What Should I Do If I Fell For The “Can You Hear Me Scam?”

The number that called you will likely be on your recent call list. Report that to the BBB’s Scam Tracker page to help get the word out so that other people don’t fall for the same scam from the same number.

BBB offers the following advice:

1) Use Caller ID to screen calls, and consider not answering unfamiliar numbers.

2) Just hang up. If someone from an unfamiliar number calls and asks, “Can you hear me?” or “Is this [your name]?” do NOT answer “Yes.” Just hang up.

3) Join the Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov) to cut down on telemarketing and sales calls.

4) Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges. Checking your telephone and cell phone bills is also a good idea.

You can read more tips online here.