There is a new phone scam spreading across the United States and it all has to do with the words “Can you hear me?”
This question is asked by the caller when a person picks up their phone. The person is hoping that the caller will answer the question with the word “Yes.” This is in hopes that they can record the response and use it as confirmation for charges on credit cards, utility bills and other forms of theft.
Police are warning people not to respond
in any way that could be seen as a confirmation. Rather, people can return questions with their own. They can chose to ask “Who is this,” or other questions to determine the person’s identity.
There are also other easy ways to avoid the “can you hear me” scam. The first is to simply not pick up calls from numbers that are unknown. The second is to hang up on the scammer if met with questions that could result in a “Yes” answer, reports CBS News.
As with any phone scam, the caller may try to act like a friend, family member or government employee. This includes Social Security, the IRS and more. However, these agencies don’t contact people by phone.
Steve Hegarty, a spokesman for the Tampa police, warns that these calls can come from anywhere. Calls that come from other countries fall outside of police departments’ jurisdiction. However, those targeted can file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
