There have been several telephone scams in which the caller tries to elicit a "yes" answer from the called person. Those scams have been around for at least four years. Why is it that the "say yes" scam has suddenly been one of the favorite warnings for some posters here?
Snopes states there are NO verified reports of people actually getting charged solely because of their "yes" answer.
http://www.snopes.com/can-you-hear-me-scam/
Do you have any PROOF people have lost money because of the supposed "say yes scam"? No, we do not want links to more warnings that one MIGHT lose money if they say "yes" ... we want links to validated statements that somebody DID lose money simply because they said "yes", without giving the caller their ID or financial information.
Interesting observation:
Several posters claimed the "say yes" scam caused multiple people to suffer financial loss, but could NOT give us reputable citations or links to prove that contention, and did NOT state how people lose money if they do not give card or bank or specific, critical ID information to the caller!
Want to learn about a REAL scam that has cost victims over $50 million dollars, yet has dozens of daily visitors to this site asking, "is this a scam?" If so, click "A_Real_Scam", below:
A_Real_ScamToo many posters seem to be unaware of the truly dangerous IRS Scam. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) reports many victims who have collectively reported over $55 million in financial losses as a result of tax scams over the last three years. That is a LOT more than the $0.00 loss so far verified for the "say yes" scam! Want proof? Read the info at this link:
https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/press/press_tigta-2017-08.htm
Click on "really", below, to read what might really be happening when you are encouraged to say "yes".
reallyTelephone scammers need to call a LOT of phones in order to find a mark. For them, time is definitely money. They do not want to waste time on a dead line, or talking to somebody who is not interested in their "deal".
So, the modern / professional phone scammer increasingly relies on computer-aided messages. Their computers recognize certain words or phrases, and then reply with an "appropriate" pre-recorded message, to keep the mark interested, and move the scam to the next level, so they can make a quick sale. The mark's answers also cue the computer into determining the mark's interests, so the computer can offer something that is attractive to the mark.
"Yes" is one of the recognized words. The "yes" alone cannot cost the mark money ... the mark must give the scammer the card or ID information, but the scammer will ask for that information somewhere during their spiel.
So, the advice, "hang up if you get such a call" is a good one. That is good advice when receiving a call from ANY spammer or scammer.
Always be careful about giving strangers your precious financial info!
Visit
http://phonehelp.2truth.com/facts.html
for a quick educational experience.
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Please reply to this post, to let us know you read it, or have taken suitable actions to protect yourself.
Quote:The 'Yes Scam' or 'Can you hear me?' scam says they record you saying yes and hang up afterwards. Then use the recording to charge you or open accounts anywhere.Its a rumor!Could you open an account or charge something to a phone number by simply saying yes and nothing else? Try it and see for yourself how that goes!
I think it is very irresponsible for anyone to help spread this "yes" Rumor, without first investigating and understanding any possibilities towards its validity.
Ask yourself this:
What scam scenario wouldn't work with a simple yes from the scammer them self, that could only work with a recording of your voice?How would a caller know who answered, it could be your wife/husband/mom/dad or anyone who answered your phone and said 'yes' that gets recorded.What legitimate company would allow anyone to charge a client's phone or open an account with only a recording of someone saying yes?Why would scammers spend the extra time and effort on something that is simply pointless and a waste of time? Scammers could simply record voices from the internet or even passing on the street of anyone saying yes, if they really had a scam that required a recorded 'yes', as that would be much more efficient than making hundreds of calls everyday for a simple yes.
The Yes Scam is merely a rumor and unproven to have any validity that it could work. There may be scams where you agreed to something unwittingly and got recorded, but they need much more than a simple recording of a voice saying yes.
Saying 'yes' alone has no impact on pulling a scam, since a scammer could just as easily say 'yes' themselves. They wouldn't know its you or some family member who answered your phone, so recording a 'yes' is pretty redundant.
You should beware that something is amiss and pay close attention to WHAT IS BEING SAID if you feel the need to talk to a stranger who calls you out of the blue. Read about the various scams and educate yourself, so you are better prepared for the next call.