What is the ‘Say Yes’ phone scam?

The “Say Yes” phone scam is a type of fraud where a person receives a call from an unknown number. If they answer it, the robocaller on the other end of the line will ask a question that prompts the victim to say “yes.”

This could be something as simple as “Can you hear me?” or a more specific question like “Is this [your name]?” or “Do you have time to talk?” The goal of the scammer is to record the victim saying “yes.”

What the victim doesn’t realize is that “yes” is being voice recorded, and once the robocaller has that “yes,” they can use it for whatever they want while pretending to be you. They might use it to authorize charges to your credit card or cellphone bill, to sign up for a program that you’d be charged for or something else.

What Should You Do?

  • Don’t Pick Up
    If you’re getting a call from a number that you don’t recognize, don’t answer it. You’re better off letting the number go to voicemail than risking the chance of your voice being recorded for something you don’t want. If it turns out that the call was from a real person, you can always call them back.
  • Avoid Saying “Yes” OR Answer the Question with a Question
    If you do end up answering the call and the caller is asking you a question right off the bat, avoid saying ‘yes.’ Instead of answering their question, give a question right back to them.   You can ask them something like, “Who am I speaking to?” or “What is the purpose of your call?” Questioning them might scare them off and make them hang up anyway, so just make sure you’re avoiding saying the word yes at all costs.
  • Use a Removal Service 
    To protect yourself from scammers getting your phone number in the first place, take steps to remove your personal information off the web with a data removal service. Although no service can guarantee the complete removal of all your data, having a removal service can be helpful in continuously monitoring and removing your information from hundreds of sites over a longer period of time.

Have questions or need assistance?  The BMT team can help you prepare for everyday scams.