Answering a basic question from an unrecognized caller could put people on the hook for a lot of money.
It’s human nature to answer when someone’s asks if you can hear him or her, but in this case if your answer is "yes" it could be used against you.
Shannon Nelson, communication coordinator with the Northeast Florida Better Business Bureau, said the “Can you hear me?” scam has picked up steam in the last two months.
“You think you're talking to a live person. They're saying ‘Can you hear me? Hold on I dropped my headset. Hold on, hello, can you hear me?’ Then they're recording you,” Nelson said.
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Once your "yes" response is recorded, it could be used to authorize charges on your utility or phone bill, even on a stolen credit card.
According to CBS Moneywatch, the con artist doesn’t need your account information because some phone providers pass through third-party charges.
Many people may not even realize they’ve been conned.
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“You won't notice until you get that next month's bill or whenever you go to check that bill,” said Nelson.
Nelson said two dozen complaints have already come into the Better Business Bureau and even she’s received one of the calls.
If you suspect you’ve been targeted, check your bills immediately.
“The sooner you catch these illegal charges on your phone bill the more likely you are to get refunded,” said Nelson.
You can report these calls to the BBB’s scam tracker. Nelson said if the Federal Trade Commission receives enough complaints, it could try to go after the scammers.
Your best defense, however, is to protect yourself.