Creepy phone calls are never welcome but if you get one asking if you can hear them, you need to put the phone down straight away…

There is a very good reason for this abrupt behaviour, as apparently, there is a major scam going round and one you do not want to risk being part of.

According to the Daily Mail, phone scammers are tricking people into answering ‘yes’ when asked if they can be heard on the phone and using it to con them.

It’s apparently a major issue in America at present, but its set to make its way over to the UK any minute now.

Their fraudulent plan involves the criminal calling from a local number and lying about a believable place of work, along with giving a fake name.

They will then ask the supposedly ‘innocent’ question of ‘Can you hear me?’ on a fully working line and await their victim to answer ‘yes.’

The scammers will record your answer of ‘yes’ and edit it into a verbal contract so they can then trick you out of large sums of money.

Horrifyingly, if you try to fight against their charges, the con-artists will play back the recording of you appearing to agree to the terms and threaten you with legal action.

Many businesses and now banks have started to use ‘voice signatures,’ to seal deals and access parts of a company over the phone, but these can be extremely risky.

A call blocking company based in the UK called CPR Call Blocker reported this sort of fraudulent activity is on the rise.

Head of Marketing for the company Kris Hicks spoke to the Sunderland Echo:

"In our experience of working across the US and UK, scams spread quickly across the pond.

We have no doubt that fraudsters operating in the UK will soon start using these tactics."

Well this is reassuring…

I’d definitely heed the advice though, if someone asks ‘can you hear me?’ on the phone and they’re not your mum, hang up.

End of.