You pick up the phone. The number looks local, maybe a neighbor or a nearby business. There is a brief, awkward pause. Then, a pleasant voice asks a question you’ve answered a thousand times: "Can you hear me?"
Stop. Don't say yes.
It sounds like paranoia, right? We’ve been conditioned since the invention of the telephone to be polite, to confirm we are present, and to help the person on the other end troubleshoot their connection. But in the world of modern social engineering, that one-word response—"Yes"—is a valuable asset for scammers. It's basically a skeleton key for certain types of voice-activated accounts. People think it's just a myth or a chain email from 2017, but the technology behind voice cloning and automated billing has made this old-school trick relevant again in 2026.
The Anatomy of the Can You Hear Me Scam
The setup is remarkably simple. You get a call from an unknown number. When you answer, the caller introduces themselves—often claiming to be from a utility company, a bank, or a digital service provider. They might mention a fake problem with your account to get you engaged. Then comes the hook. They pretend to have trouble with their headset or the line quality. They ask, "Can you hear me?"
What happens next is the scary part.
If you say "Yes," they’ve got you. They aren't looking for a conversation; they are looking for a high-quality recording of your voice affirming a statement. Fraudsters use this recording to authorize charges on credit cards, sign up for services, or even bypass voice-recognition security hurdles at financial institutions. Think about how many "voice ID" features exist now. Your "yes" is essentially a digital signature.
Scammers aren't just looking for any sound. They want that specific affirmative. Once they have it, they can pair it with other stolen data—like your phone number or your name—to make unauthorized purchases. It’s a "vishing" attack, which is just a fancy way of saying "voice phishing." They use the recording as "proof" that you agreed to a contract or a change in service.
Why Voice Recognition Has Made Us Vulnerable
We live in an era where voice is the new biometric. From Amazon’s Alexa to Siri and high-end banking apps, our vocal cords are our passwords. This is convenient, but it’s also fundamentally flawed because voices can be captured from a distance or over a phone line.
In the past, critics argued that a simple "yes" wasn't enough to do real damage. They were partially right back then. However, the rise of AI-driven voice synthesis has changed the math. A single "yes" provides a baseline of your pitch, tone, and inflection. In 2026, sophisticated software can take a small sample of your voice and "morph" it to say anything. But even without high-tech AI, the basic trick of playing back a recording of you saying "yes" to a third-party billing company is often enough to bypass low-level security checks.
It’s about the "proof of intent." If a company disputes a charge, the scammer plays the recording: "Do you agree to these terms?" followed by your recorded "Yes." To a customer service rep or an automated system, it looks like a closed case.
Real-World Red Flags and Expert Observations
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been tracking these "can you hear me" variations for years. While the specific script changes, the goal remains consistent: get the victim to speak first and give an affirmative response.
Let's look at the signs.
- The Pause: Most of these calls are initiated by an automated "robocall" dialer. When you say hello, there is a one- or two-second delay while the system connects you to a live person or triggers a recording.
- The Headset Excuse: This is a classic. "I'm sorry, I'm having some trouble with my headset, can you hear me okay?" It’s designed to sound relatable and human.
- Urgency: They might follow up with a claim that your electricity is about to be shut off or your social security number has been "suspended."
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) frequently warns that these calls are often the "reconnaissance" phase of a larger identity theft operation. They might already have your email or your address from a data breach; now they just need your voice.
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The Evolution of Voice Spoofing
Honestly, it’s not just about the word "yes" anymore. We’ve seen a massive uptick in "Grandparent Scams" where attackers use a short clip of a relative's voice—often scraped from social media or a captured phone call—to pretend they are in trouble.
But the "Can you hear me" call is the easiest way for them to get a clean, isolated sample of your voice without you suspecting a thing. They don't need a ten-minute interview. They just need a few clear syllables. You might think you're being helpful, but you're actually handing over the keys to your biometric safe.
There's a psychological element here, too. Humans are socially engineered to be cooperative. When someone asks if we can hear them, our instinct is to help. Scammers exploit this social lubricant to bypass our natural skepticism.
What to Do If You've Already Answered
First off, don't panic. Saying "yes" once doesn't mean your bank account will be drained by tomorrow morning. It just means you need to be more vigilant.
If you think you've been targeted, the first step is to monitor your statements. Check your credit card, your phone bill, and your bank accounts for any "mystery charges." Often, these scams result in small, "crammed" charges—little five-dollar fees that people usually overlook.
You should also consider changing your security settings. If your bank uses voice ID, call them. Tell them you’re concerned about voice spoofing and ask to switch to a different form of multi-factor authentication, like an app-based TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password) or a physical security key.
Practical Steps to Protect Your Privacy
The most effective way to deal with these calls is to stop answering them. If you don't recognize the number, let it go to voicemail. If it’s important, they’ll leave a message.
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If you do answer and hear that familiar "Can you hear me?" question, your best move is to hang up immediately. Don't engage. Don't try to "scam the scammer" or get snarky. Just end the call. If you absolutely feel the need to respond, ask a question back: "Who is this?" or "What company are you calling from?" Never use the word "yes."
Here are the immediate actions you should take to tighten your telephonic security:
- Use a Call-Blocking App: Most modern smartphones have built-in "Silence Unknown Callers" features. Enable them. Third-party apps like Hiya or RoboKiller can also help filter out known scam numbers before your phone even rings.
- Report the Number: Every time you get one of these calls, report it to the FTC at donotcall.gov or to the FCC. It helps authorities track the patterns and shut down the VOIP (Voice over IP) gateways these scammers use.
- Audit Your Biometrics: Look at every service you use that offers "Voice Login." Unless the security is exceptionally high-end (using behavioral biometrics rather than just pitch/tone), it's safer to use a traditional password paired with a hardware key like a YubiKey.
- The "Mute" Strategy: If you must answer calls from unknown numbers for work, try answering and staying silent for the first three seconds. Most automated systems will drop the call if they don't detect a human voice greeting them.
- Check for "Cramming": Review your mobile phone bill specifically for "third-party" charges. Scammers sometimes use a recorded "yes" to sign you up for premium text-messaging services or "club memberships" that are billed directly to your carrier.
This isn't about being afraid of your phone; it's about understanding that the medium has changed. A phone call used to be a private conversation between two people. Today, it’s a data exchange. Treat your voice with the same level of protection you’d give your Social Security number or your birthdate. If someone asks "Can you hear me?" and you didn't initiate the call, the answer should always be silence followed by a dial tone.