Hamilton Police Issue Warning on New Phone Scam

HAMILTON, MA – Hamilton Police and SeniorCare are asking residents to be wary of a tricky phone scam that only needs victims to say "yes."

The "Can You Hear Me" scam started last year, but has come back in full force and been repeated around the North Shore last week, according to the Town of Hamilton blog. Victims get a call that eventually asks "can you hear me," with the intention of getting a "yes" in response.

According to the blog, the scammer may record the victim saying "yes," and use it to sign him or her up for a product or service, then charge for that product and service.

The blog suggests these tips for avoiding falling victim to the scam:

• If you receive an unsolicited robocall from an organization or business, just hang up. If you are on the Do Not Call List and a company calls out of the blue to ask questions, it’s likely a scam. Avoid responding with “yes, sure or ok.”
• If you are asked a similar question in a phone call or are asked to press a button to be placed on the Do Not Call Registry, just hang up the phone. Saying anything or pressing buttons when prompted may help the scam artists identify that you have an active phone number. Remember that no government agency will ever solicit for the Do Not Call Registry.
• Write down the phone number of callers violating the Do Not Call Registry and file a scam report with the BBB Scam Tracker and the FTC’s Do Not Call List.
• The BBB recommends that you check account statements frequently if you do fall for the scam or provide personal information in an unsolicited phone call. The earlier you identify unauthorized charges on your accounts, the easier it will be to recover any lost money. For more tips on identifying scams and past scam alerts, visit the BBB website.

To read the full post, click here.

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