Americans lose an average of $577 per person to phone call scams. Scammers make around 200 millions calls yearly with schemes targeting innocent people. Among the several scams, the "Can you Hear Me?" scam is the most common and has been around for years!

The "Can You Hear Me?" scam tricks people into saying something affirmative that can be recorded and used against them. For example, scammers pretend to be from legitimate companies such as banks or utilities and ask the caller if they can hear them. If the victim responds with a "yes" or anything affirmative, the scammer records it and uses it against them.

If you start to receive a higher number of spams calls, one of the reasons could be the "Can You Hear Me?" scam. Scammers call a number and repeatedly ask this question until the recipient responds with yes or an affirmation. This response assures the caller that the number is live, and they sell it to telemarketers or other scammers for a price.

How to Report a Phone Scam?

Contact your local law enforcement agency if you have received a "Can You Hear Me?" scam call and would like to report it. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or by calling their toll-free line: 1-877-382-4357