‘Can you hear me?’ Scam has Police Warning People to Hang up Immediately

WNEP ^ | 26 January 2017 | Tribune Media Wire

[oh8eleven]

NORFOLK, Va. – 'Can you hear me?' It is a simple question, but police say answering it could make you the victim of a scam.

After the introduction comes the question, "Can you hear me?"

“All of us, our natural response is to say, 'Yes,' or 'Sure,' or 'Yes I can,'” said Hughes, but she says this is exactly what you do not want to do.

Police say scammers record your ‘yes’ response. In one variation of the scam documented by the Better Business Bureau in October, 2016, the criminals may pretend to be from a cruise line or home security company and will later bill you for products or services you never asked for.

[oh8eleven]

I'm posting this now because I got multiple calls last night at 3 freakin' AM in the morning.. First time I answered they said they were from some security company and it was reported that I had called 911. Then asked if everything was okay. I just hung up the phone.
Three minutes later they called again, I just let it ring. Five minutes later another call and this time I answered and dropped about 45 seconds of obscenities on them. No more calls.
Be aware.

[Sacajaweau]

I get these maybe three times a day. Time to call the AG.

[Az Joe]

I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number.

[Ransomed]

I recall back in the early 90s they would ask ‘do you have long distance’ and when you said yes they would somehow sign you up for extra fees. I think it was a company called ‘long distance’ or something.

Freegards

[dfwgator]

I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number.

Exactly. If it is important, they'll leave a message.

[right way right]

I always let people leave a message unless I recognize the caller ID as someone I inow.
It’s a simple solution that works.

[Ouderkirk]

I got one of these calls...and kept saying “no, I can’t hear you...can you hear me”

Over and over....

[right way right]

I can block repeated spam calls too.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk.

[rockrr]

They can bill me all they want (blood from a stone).

[SamAdams76]

I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number.

That's the way to do it. I give my number out only those I want to hear from and I will load their numbers into my address book so that I know it's them that are calling. If they use a different phone to call me or block their incoming number, they go to voice mail. I simply will not answer a call from somebody who I do not recognize and wish to speak with.

For some reason, older people don't want to do that. They think it's rude. For instance, even though my mother-in-law has been scammed a few times, she will still politely answer every phone call that comes in no matter what and she will allow any telemarketer to give his/her full pitch. I don't get it. But I guess she's the product of an earlier era when traveling salespeople would knock on her door and pitch things like vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias.

[Maceman]

If you’re feeling puckish and get a perverse thrill from scam-baiting (as I occasionally do when I have the time), you can just answer: “No.”

Then the conversation goes like this:

“Can you hear me?”

“No.”

“OK. Can you hear me now?”

“No, I still can’t hear you.”

“How about now?”

“No, I can’t hear you now either.”

“How about now?”

“Why do you keep asking me if I can hear you, when I’m obviously responding to your questions? Are you stupid?”

And so on.

[Carriage Hill]

“...later bill you for products or services...”

How do they do that if you don’t give them any CC data?

[DarthFuzball]

I remember something about that.

I think the company was “Discount Long Discance” or something similar.

They would call and ask “Would you like Discount Long Distance”, and if you answered yes, they would switch you over.

[xrmusn]

I did answer one last week (looked close to a local # - was spoofed)

First statement out of them Can you hear me
me WHAT (stock answer) - who is this

mentioned a resort or something and I started with
‘I told you Mf’ers to never call this F’n number again, you MF’er....I am tired of asking you nicely...then I got verbally abusive.’

My phone hasn’t rung since and I had been getting 3 or 4 non answered calls a day.....

[DBrow]

President Clinton signed into law a bill that gave the word “yes” the authority of a signature, when given over the phone for sales (and I think maybe some contracts).

This is someone using that law fraudulently.

[oh8eleven]

I never answer the phone unless I recognize the number.
Me too - except last night. I knew it was zero dark thirty and just grabbed and answered.

[oh8eleven]

They can bill me all they want (blood from a stone).
Exactly. I think most states have laws that you don't have to pay for anything someone sends you unsolicited.
Like what are they going to do - take you to court?

[JimRed]

We don’t answer the house phone (which has a voice caller ID feature, “call from.....”) unless we recognize and want to talk to the caller.

[IamConservative]

Try this treatment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmKtS-k12b0