CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about a phone scam in which callers impersonate a business, such as a bank, a government agency, an insurance company, or a variety of other entities.
The Better Business Bureau says that scammers ask the question "Can you hear me?" with their goal being to get people to respond "yes." The person may be a robocall, trying to record your conversation, and that "yes" answer could potentially be used to try to make major purchases.
"In other variations of the scam, the caller may say, “Is this [your name]?” or some other question where the answer will be “Yes.” The caller may not hang up right away either and may continue the conversation to attempt to steal your personal information or record more of your voice," states officials from the BBB on their website.
Scammers most often target the elderly community with calls regarding Medicare. Officials with the BBB advise that it is best to hang up immediately if you suspect you have received a robocall from a scammer.
BBB offers the following advice:
- Use Caller ID to screen calls, and consider not answering unfamiliar numbers. They will leave a message if it’s important, and you can call back. Read the FCC’s article on how to stop unwanted robocalls and texts.
- 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. Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so be alert for other questions designed to solicit a simple “yes” answer or any response.
- Make a note of the number and report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker to help warn others. BBB also shares Scam Tracker information with government and law enforcement agencies, so every piece of information helps track down scammers.
- Join the Do Not Call Registry (DoNotCall.gov) to cut down on telemarketing and sales calls. This may not help avoid scammers since they don’t tend to pay attention to the law, but you’ll get fewer calls overall which may help you more quickly notice the ones that could be fraudulent.
- Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges. Checking your telephone and cell phone bills is also a good idea. Scammers may use your voice's “Yes” recording to authorize charges on your phone. This is called “cramming,” and it’s illegal. If you’re worried, notify your bank and credit card company. They may be able to put an alert on your accounts for unauthorized transactions or freeze your credit cards temporarily.
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker (BBB.org/ScamTracker).
Learn how to spot a scam. Read BBB’s tip on how to spot and stop robocalls.
Check out BBB.org to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, report a scam, read tips
