Police warn of ‘can you hear me’ phone scam
A phone scam that made the rounds in the United States and United Kingdom this year has now reached Australia, authorities warn.
Do not answer if someone asks “can you hear me?” (image source: shutterstock)
If you answer a phone call to someone asking “can you hear me?”, hang up without saying anything.
Police believe that the intention of the call is to record “yes” responses in order to authorise payments using voice recognition software.
Mackay Police have already spoken to a victim of the scam, and warn that a simple “yes” might be all the scammer needs to access bank accounts.
“If the scammer already has your mobile phone number and some sensitive identification information of yours… you may have some serious and legitimate reasons to be concerned,” said Senior Constable Steve Smith in a statement on Wednesday.
Police are asking Australians to help spread the word about the scam, and contact police if they have any information.
They advise that you receive a “can you hear me?” phone call hang up and don’t respond.
But if you did respond with a “yes”, alert your financial institutions, begin to monitor your accounts closely, and contact ID care.
