What word should you not say if you get a spam call?

Sunny

Sunny

SF VIP
Location
Maryland
We are not supposed to answer any phone call from a number that we don't recognize or that sounds suspicious. But what if we mistakenly do answer the phone? I have read that if we say the word, "Yes," or any affirmative sounding word like that, they can hack into your bank account and withdraw funds from it. This sounds a little bit dubious to me, but I wonder if there's any truth to it. Does anybody know?
 

Sunny said:
We are not supposed to answer any phone call from a number that we don't recognize or that sounds suspicious. But what if we mistakenly do answer the phone? I have read that if we say the word, "Yes," or any affirmative sounding word like that, they can hack into your bank account and withdraw funds from it. This sounds a little bit dubious to me, but I wonder if there's any truth to it. Does anybody know?
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No, it would take much more than that, unless you had just finished giving your account number, your pin number, your SS # and your mother's maiden name.
 

I don't answer strangers' calls. I look at the phone number first, then lift the receiver quickly and shut it quickly. All they'll get is a "click." Given that, I have accidentally picked it up without looking at the number, especially if I just finished talking to someone and thought they were calling back, and it'll be a telecommuter. I just hang up.
 
The problem is, some of the legitimate calls just show the number and the location the call is coming from (usually the town). My doctor is one example. So is my hairdresser. If you haven't memorized all their phone numbers, and the caller's ID doesn't give you a name, just a number, it's very easy to pick up the wrong call. And some of these calls have started out by saying, "Am I talking to (my real name)?" So, that's where the "yes" would come in. I've only done it once; usually I do the same as Marie does, I say No and hang up, or just hang up, period.

But it's really kind of hard to believe that just the word "yes" is enough to allow them to drain your bank account. I like Nathan's explanation, which makes more sense.
 
I registered my number with the Federal Trade Commission's National Do Not Call Registry. I rarely get any unsolicited phone calls or regular calls for that matter. My Son, Daughter and the Doctors office are the only regular calls I receive. ...🎃
 
I've also heard that you shouldn't say "Yes". Hackers may have already gotten your information from the dark web or from these darned security breaches that seem to be happening all too often. My husband would have been in trouble because he routinely answered the phone by saying "Yes". I'd never heard anyone else do that before. As I mentioned in another thread, my phone alerts me of spam calls, so I don't answer nor do I answer most of the calls that are from numbers I don't recognize.
 
Sunny said:
And some of these calls have started out by saying, "Am I talking to (my real name)?" So, that's where the "yes" would come in. I've only done it once; usually I do the same as Marie does, I say No and hang up, or just hang up, period.
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If it ever happened to me, I would answer that question, with:

WHO is asking?
Or,
Who are you? Who is this calling? Who am I talking to?
or something similar.
 
Kaila said:
If it ever happened to me, I would answer that question, with:

WHO is asking?
Or,
Who are you? Who is this calling? Who am I talking to?
or something similar.
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If asked, "Is this so-and-so?" my mother would always say, "Who is calling?"

It's your phone, someone is invading your peace by calling you, and they have the nerve to ask who you are? No way! THEY need to identify themselves first.
 
When they ask "Is this XYZ?" I usually just hang up. If I'm in a feisty mood, before I hang up I'll just say "It's none of your business who this is!"

The kicker, as other posters have said, is them getting you to say "Yes". "Do you own your home?" "Yes". "Do you own a late model automobile?" "Yes". "Are you planning on taking a vacation this year?" "Yes". All of these phone conversations are recorded. These recordings can be edited to put your "Yes" as an answer to any question they ask. "Would you agree to a 30 day trial of our product?" "Yes". "Wouldn't you like to subscribe to our warranty for your vehicle?" "Yes".

Then the bills will arrive. You will toss them. Collection agencies will call. They have your voice and your "Yes" on a recorded phone conversation.

The best advice, again as others have stated, is to just hang up. Or... have the old police whistle nearby and blow that into the phone as loud as you can... then hang up!!!
 
I don't want to start a new thread but I got this scam twice in 24 hours on YouTube from comments I left on channels I watch. They reply to my comment. They use the channels picture and then say something like "text to and we have something for you." or "a prize"

I deleted my first post which takes their comment away. But I reported the second one and that took the comment away and left my post. Thought I'd mention it in case others comment on YouTube videos also.
 
One complication I've been having: large quantities of calls, voicemails, texts for the person who had my phone number before me.
Another is occasionally receiving calls where caller ID is "Restricted." Thinking it could be important, I usually answer, and it usually turns out to be somebody hawking payday loans or somesuch.
 
Sunny said:
The problem is, some of the legitimate calls just show the number and the location the call is coming from (usually the town). My doctor is one example. So is my hairdresser. If you haven't memorized all their phone numbers, and the caller's ID doesn't give you a name, just a number, it's very easy to pick up the wrong call. And some of these calls have started out by saying, "Am I talking to (my real name)?" So, that's where the "yes" would come in. I've only done it once; usually I do the same as Marie does, I say No and hang up, or just hang up, period.

But it's really kind of hard to believe that just the word "yes" is enough to allow them to drain your bank account. I like Nathan's explanation, which makes more sense.
Click to expand...

To me one of the few advantages to cell phones is we can make a 'contacts' list of people, businesses and medical providers we do wish to talk to on the phone. If they call whatever i've listed them as shows on screen when it rings. If only # and state i don't answer. If they leave voice mail listen, just in case and out of curiosity.

Often there is only about 40-49 seconds of dead air. Suspect those are from robo dialers that hand the call off to live marketer if a live person answers. But as yet aren't programmed to leave messages. I kno some automated calls can: My health insurance does, my supplier of CPAP supplies does, but i have those #'s as contacts anyway.
 
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