The "can you hear me" scam: what saying yes really risks

How the call works

The caller, sometimes a recording, asks "Can you hear me?" or "Is this the homeowner?" The natural answer is "yes". The call may then end, or move to a sales pitch or a fake offer.

What a recorded "yes" can and cannot do

A single word on its own is a weak tool for fraud. A recorded "yes" on its own is unlikely to be enough to charge you without other details. The real risks are quieter:

• It tells the caller your number is active and answered by a real person, so you get more calls.
• It gives them a short sample of your voice.
• It starts a conversation that can lead to sharing personal details.

Warning signs

• The first thing you hear is a question designed to make you say yes.
• There is a pause before anyone speaks, which can mean an automated dialler.
• The caller says the line is bad and asks you to keep repeating yourself.
• You are asked to "confirm" your name or address before they say who they are.

Safer habits for unknown calls

• Let unknown numbers go to voicemail. Real callers leave a message.
• If you answer, let the caller speak first and ask who they are.
• Answer questions with "Who is calling?" rather than "yes".
• Use your phone's call blocking or "silence unknown callers" setting.

What to check afterwards

1. Look over your next phone bill for unfamiliar charges.
2. Check card and bank statements for payments you do not recognise.
3. Dispute anything you did not agree to. Ask for proof of what you supposedly agreed.

More tips are in the FCC guide to stopping unwanted robocalls.

How to help an older relative with unknown calls

Many older people feel it is rude not to answer, or to hang up on a stranger. A few simple agreements take that pressure away.

1. Turn on call blocking together. Sit with them, switch on the phone's settings for unknown or spam calls, and ask their phone company what it offers.
2. Use a plain voicemail greeting. The default system message gives away less of their voice than a long personal one.
3. Give them a short script. "Who is calling, please?" and, if in doubt, "I do not take calls like this. Goodbye."
4. Put trusted numbers by the phone. Family, the doctor and the bank. Anyone else can leave a message.
5. Check the bill together each month for charges they do not recognise.

It also helps to explain why these calls matter. A number that answers gets more calls, and some later calls are more serious. The caller may pretend to be a grandchild, a bank or a government office. Two short guides are worth reading together: the grandparent scam explained and how fake bank calls work.

Longer recordings of a voice are what make a copy possible, which is why voice cloning scams rely on clips people post online rather than a single word. For an overview, start with the main voice scam types.

Sources

1. Federal Communications Commission, consumer guide: "Stop unwanted robocalls and texts". Checked 23 October 2026.
2. Federal Trade Commission, consumer alert: "Scammers use AI to enhance their family emergency schemes". Published 20 March 2023. Checked 23 October 2026.

Common questions

Did I agree to something by saying yes?

Very unlikely. A recorded yes on its own is unlikely to be enough to prove you agreed to a charge. If you see a charge you did not agree to, dispute it with your bank or phone company.

Can they clone my voice from one word?

One word is a poor sample. Longer recordings are much more useful to scammers, so avoid long conversations with unknown callers.

Should I change my number?

Usually not. Blocking the number and letting unknown calls go to voicemail is normally enough.

How do I report these calls?

In the US you can report unwanted calls to the FCC and the FTC. In the UK, forward details to your phone company or report to Report Fraud.

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