Can You Hear Me scam

This has nothing to do with PCs or the like, but I had been getting calls, mainly claiming they were from Medicare. They say something like "I'm calling from Medicare. Can you hear me OK?" Something told me that it was probably not Medicare, so when I said I have Medicare and will call them to see what they need from me, they hang up. 

Then I read an article in AARP about it, but they did not know how it was being used as a scam, but to just hang up. I thought, Well, maybe one of those rumors that get started somehow. But then I came across an article, don't quote me on this, I think it was ZDNet, about it. Then just today I found where the FTC, FBI, and BBB are investigating it. Seems that they get you to say "Yes" and record it. Then they give you a hard sales pitch on something, then when you tell them you not want it, they play back your Yes saying that they have a legal and binding verbal from you to purchase it. When you further refuse, according to the FTC and the ID Theft Resource Center, they threaten you with being arrested for refusing to fulfill your "legal" agreement to make the so-called purchase. 

As to whether this is real, hype, or someone starting a malicious bunch of crap, I cannot attest. But just thought I would pass this along. I have received probably 20 of these calls in the past 2 or 3 weeks. So, something is going on, but exactly what I do not know. It sounds feasible, but.......For whatever it's worth. But I  figure if the FTC and FBI are looking at it, there may be something to it.

 

I think you've done the right thing.

One way to verify this is to call the Medicare office and ask 'why are you guys calling me?', should be a way to check that to see if it's legit or not.

 

If they call back make a statement that all your calls are recorded along with phone numbers and area codes so that your family can make decisions for you. (Thats just a hype I know your capable of taking care of yourself)

 

Do you have some sort of Caller ID?, Is it the same phone number used for each phone call?, if so have your phone provider block the phone number?

It irritates me to no end to see people get ripped off by these (fill in the blank)

 

edit:

I searched Google and it appears there are very many alerts to this exact issue.

Be careful.

Edited by Juliet, 30 March 2018 - 06:25 AM.

Yes, you are correct, it is a nasty scam. I heard an in-depth segment on our local news about this, and they do exactly what you described. Just hang up and say nothing. In reality, they most likely will not sue you for anything because they do not want to be identified, but it's good to be careful.

I have True Caller and Auto-Reject, so I enter it in those. But they change mumbers,frequently. I am area code 940 and that is the one they always use, but the exchange and number are always different.
One of them called while in a recording session which really set me off. I was so peed off I told him that I would find you people and parts of you will be found scattered over several states. Needless to say, that did not work. I just hang up and block the number. But now if I get a call from an unknown area code or a questionable looming number, I let it go to voicemail.
One way I got rid of most of the tech scammers was I had a little fun with them. When they would call, like one time while on my patio, I acting all alarmed and surprised by their claim. "Just tell me what to do here. I can't be having all those problems on my PC. We gotta get rid of them". He is trying to talk me through a screen sharing setup (which I know perfectly well how to do) but kept saying I was having problems getting it done. By this time I have booted up a PC which is only used for genealogy with no personal info on it, no bank, financial stuff, SS#, nothing that would be of use. And I kept everything on a separate external drive which I disconnected. I had him going about 30 minutes on a bunch of stupid stuff, alarmed at all the errors and he is running scans which McAfee detected and blocked as unauthorized access to certain ports, then told him how he was just scammed by me.

Reporting Phone Scams

I gotta tell ya gentelmen, so far my experience with this site has been really good. Several of you have helped me out without getting the feeling if being "put down", or talked down to in any way. I just recently
I just removed all my stuff from another site because of just those kinds of attitudes. I posted regarding the Can You Hear Me scam and was instantly dismissed with skepticism and was, in a round about way attacked as a conspiracy nut.

But anyway, 2 of you put me onto New Egg site and found a 10 ft. VGA cable and a splitter. That way I can set a monitor on my piano and, using a wireless mouse, operate the PreSonus recording without trying to see the monitor from 6 ft away. We did not know it, but you guys solved a problem I had not been able to remedy without even asking the question. Thanks a lot. Hope maybe I can help someone in teturn. Thanks!!!

You're welcome on behalf of the Bleeping Computer community.