A new spin on an old scam is inundating consumers in the United States, and in the last couple of weeks has crossed the border into Canada.
The “Can you hear me?” scam started a few years ago and originally targeted businesses, trying to force them into buying office supplies they did not order. Now, however, the scam is targeting consumers, with 65 to 70 per cent of the scams being reported to Scam Tracker in the U.S. involving “Can you hear me?” or one of its variations.
The scam involves receiving a recorded call from someone saying they represent a business or agency; among the calls reported are ones where the agent claimed to be representing a home security agency, a cruise line, and the government.
After the introduction, the recording will often ask if you can hear the caller clearly. If you answer “yes”, there is a possibility that the person behind the call has recorded you. You will be signed up for a product or service, then receive a phone call demanding payment. If you refuse, or say you never signed up for the product or service, the caller will use your recorded “Yes” to confirm that you assented.
“Can you hear me?” is not the only way scammers get a yes out of you; other questions you may be asked include “Are you the homeowner?”, “Are you over 18?”, “Do you pay the household bills?”, and “Do you have a home computer?”
“It’s a strange one,” says Evan Kelly, senior communications advisor for the Better Business Bureau serving Mainland BC, about this particular scam. “It typically targeted businesses, and would record someone saying yes; then the scammer would call back and demand payment for supplies, saying that they had authorization.
“We’re not really sure what they’re looking for [with the new scam]. I don’t think anyone has lost money in B.C. yet, but we’re getting complaints. And scammers could already have your credit card or other personal information.”
Consumers can protect themselves from this (and other) scams by not answering phone calls from numbers you do not recognize; hanging up if you are asked questions that seem to be angling for a “Yes” or “No” answer; never giving out personal identifying information if you are not sure about the caller; and checking your credit card and bank account details daily. The earlier you identify unauthorized charges on your account, the easier it will be to recover any lost money.
Kelly notes that although the scam is only just starting to be reported here, its rapid spread in the States might be repeated north of the border. “It could get ramped up right away.”