A phone scam that had previously targeted businesess is now being reported by consumers.

the caller may produce your recorded "yes" response to confirm your purchase agreement.

According the the Better Business Bureau, the scammers call you and ask the question "Can you hear me?" in an attempt to get you to answer with the word, "Yes."  And if you give them a yes, you could be opening yourself up to a number of problems.  Here's how the scam works, according to the BBB.

If you answer "yes" there's a possibility that the scam artist behind the phone call has recorded you and will use your agreement to sign you up for a product or service and then demand payment. If you refuse, the caller may produce your recorded "yes" response to confirm your purchase agreement. - bbb.org

There are a number of ways scammers might get you to say yes such as:

  • Are you the homeowner?
  • Are you over 18?
  • Do you pay the household bills?
  • Do you have a home computer?

Keep in mind, a scammer may already have gotten their hands on some of your personal information, such as credit card numbers, which they can use in tandem with your recorded affirmation to push through charges. - bbb.org

The BBB has a list of tips that can help prevent you from being targeted by this and other phone scams.

  • Don't answer calls from numbers you do not recognize. Legitimate business will leave a message.
  • If the person speaking to you seems to be  for a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, say nothing and hang up.
  • Don't ever give out personal information when you are not sure who you are speaking to.
  • If you think you might have been a victim of this scam, contact your bank and credit card companies to flag your accounts. Check your account daily - the earlier you identify unauthorized charges on your accounts, the easier it will be to recover any lost money.
  • Write down the phone number of those callers violating the Do Not Call Registry and file a scam report with BBB Scam Tracker and the FTC's Do Not Call List.
  • If you have questions or concerns about this or any other scam, call your BBB at 248.223.9400.

For more tips on identifying scams and past scam alerts, visit BBB Scam Alerts.

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