Scam Warning: Hang Up If You Hear These 4 Words

If you receive a phone call and the caller opens the conversation with a certain four-word phrase, hang up immediately!

We all get a lot of calls from numbers that we don't recognize. Most simply don't answer. How many times a week do you think that you get a scam call on your phone? There is always someone out there trying to trick you into giving them some money. These scammers have gotten very creative throughout the years. While there are countless ways in which people can scam you out of money. It's hard not only to keep up with them, but it has also gotten even harder to decipher what is legitimate and what is a scam.

There's a long list of ways people will try to scam you over the phone. It's no secret that scammers have gotten really good at tricking people. Throughout the years, we have shared several examples of some of these phone scams, such as: phone numbers linked to scammers, a text scam that wipes out your bank account, area codes attached to scammers, how you are getting scam calls from someone in your contacts, and some tips to identify texting scams. Now, we want to share with you another piece of vital information when it comes to phone scams.

If You Hear This Four-Word Phrase, Hang Up Immediately

According to Reader's Digest, four words are a red flag that you might be dealing with a phone scammer. Experts are warning about a robocall that starts with the simple four-word phrase “Can you hear me?” in hopes of recording your response and using it to commit fraud. Ultimately, they are hoping that you say "yes" in hopes of using your own voice against you. Reader's Digest explains:

In this particular phone scam, a recorded voice will ask, “Can you hear me?” when a victim answers the call. The phrase is designed to trick the victim into responding “yes,” while the person or computer on the other end is recording. From there, the scammer can use the recording to access important online accounts, make purchases and commit fraud like identity theft. All they have to do is play the recording of your voice saying “yes” when asked to authorize a log-in or agree to a major purchase.

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The Dangers of Saying "Yes"

Saying "yes" in a situation like that is human instinct. Most people don't think twice about it. However, if the scammer records your voice saying "yes," they can gain access to your personal information, authorize payments, or sign up for services that you never signed up for. If the scammer tries to purchase something or wants to access your personal information over the phone, they might be asked to agree to the purchase or for consent. From there, they will just play the recording of your voice saying "yes."

This is something that I learned a long time ago. That's why I avoid using any phrase even remotely similar to "yes" when I receive a phone call from someone that I don't know. However, there are still so many people who don't know any better. Reader's Digest goes on to give some tips for how to guard yourself from these types of scams, which you can see by clicking here.

Now that you know these pieces of information, keep them handy the next time you get a call or text from a number that you don't recognize. If you're getting way too many scam calls, click here to find out how to make them stop.