Phone scammers are getting more clever by the day as they are adopting a tactic (well, has been used some in the past but now seeing a spike again) where they trick or try to convince you to say “yes” on the call. This “yes” can be the beginning of fraud. We are going to take a deeper dive into what this scam is all about and ways to prevent this from happening to you.

Curious about how this scam works? Let me share more! Scammers will typically call from local area codes to get you to pick it up. Then they will allow you to pick up the phone and once you say hello, they will ask “can you hear me?” to elicit a response of “yes”. What callers don’t realize is that the scammer is recording you saying “yes” and using that as possible fraud.

They take the “yes” recording and use it to authorize unwanted charges whether that’s on a phone or utility bill or even on a credit card. How can this be? Well, when they record you saying “yes” that means that they have your verbal ok to agree to something? They already have your phone number and possibly your name and more information so they can pass through some places as you authorizing additional charges and such.

You can prevent this “Say Yes” scam though in many different ways. Here are ways that you can avoid this scam:

*Check phone numbers closely– scammers are using local numbers or what appears to be local numbers but do not let that fool you. It’s best to avoid calls from numbers that you are not familiar with and let it go to voicemail. Truly the best way to prevent this is DO NOT answer calls that you do not recognize.

*Hang up– it’s ok to just hang up if suspicious. Also, if a caller asks you to hi a button to stop receiving calls, it’s often a recording so be aware of this tactic that scammers like to use.

*Review your statements and bills closely– always keep an eye on these in case you are a victim of scams like this one. If you see suspicious charges, review further to see if it was a scam or a legitimate charge.

*Use a blocking service– ask your phone provider if they have a robocall blocking service and if they do, take part in that! If not, recommend they get one! You can also use an app called RoboKiller.  There are many others you can use too as a fradulent number blocking app as well.

*Put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry– you can register your home or mobile phone for free and be placed on the do not call list.

*Report to FCC– if you do answer a call and it ends up being a scam call, write the number down and add that to an FCC complaint. If you would like to read the FCC consumer alert on this scam click here.

Hopefully these tips will come in handy the next time you come across an odd phone call. Don’t fall victim to this “say yes” scam that can lead to charges on your phone, utility, or credit card bill. These steps will help protect you and your business from harmful attacks by scammers looking to steal your information and use it to their advantage. For more tips and other blogs related to cybersecurity, take a look at our blog here.

 

Resources:

Snider, Mike. “Don’t Say Yes When Robocall Scam Rings”. USA Today. 2017 March 27. https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/talkingtech/2017/03/27/dont-say-yes-when-robocall-scam-rings/99709634/. 22 October 2019.