"Can you hear me?": the call that tries to record you saying "yes"

"Can you hear me?": the call that tries to record you saying "yes"

You answer and, after a short silence, a voice asks: "Can you hear me?", "Is this the account holder?" or "Are you the homeowner?". You say "yes", and the call drops or turns into a sales pitch. Warnings spread quickly online: they've recorded your "yes" and will use it to sign you up to contracts or drain your account. The reality is less dramatic, but there are genuine risks worth knowing about, and they have more to do with the details you give than with the word itself.

What is the "yes" call?

It's a call, often automated or from an overseas call centre, that opens with a closed question designed to get a "yes". Sometimes it's a robocall checking whether a real person picks up. Sometimes it's the first step of a sales call for energy, solar, telco or insurance products. And sometimes it's the opener for a scam call where someone pretends to be your bank, your energy retailer or a government agency.

Is it true they can sign me up with a recorded "yes"?

A lone "yes", on its own, is not enough to bind you to anything. Here's why:

1. A single word isn't a contract. A valid agreement needs a clear offer, your details, a description of what you're agreeing to and your genuine acceptance. A "yes" clipped from "Can you hear me?" proves none of that.
2. Phone sales come with safeguards in Australia. Under the Australian Consumer Law, sales made over the phone that you didn't ask for (unsolicited consumer agreements) come with rules: the business must give you a copy of the agreement and tell you about your cooling-off rights, and generally you have 10 business days to cancel without giving a reason. Energy retailers also need your explicit informed consent before switching you.
3. A charge needs more than your voice. To bill your card or set up a direct debit, they need your payment details. If you didn't give them, a recorded "yes" doesn't replace them.

So the scary version ("they empty your account with your yes") is largely a myth. But these calls do carry real risks.

So what is the real risk?

• You confirm your number is live. Many of these calls are automated checks. A number that answers becomes more valuable and tends to get more sales calls and scam attempts.
• Unauthorised switches. The most concrete risk in Australia is with energy and telco providers. If during the call you give your name, date of birth, address or account details, such as the NMI (National Meter Identifier) printed on your electricity bill, they may be able to process a switch. The danger isn't your "yes", it's the details you hand over.
• Material to clone your voice. AI tools can imitate a voice from a few seconds of clean audio. A single word gives them little; a long chat gives them more. The most common use of a cloned voice is fooling your family with the "relative in trouble" scam, not signing contracts.
• A more elaborate scam. Sometimes "Can you hear me?" is just the warm-up for someone posing as your bank or provider to get passwords or codes.

How should I respond to a suspicious call?

1. Answer with something neutral: "Who's calling?" or "Hello, who is this?" rather than "yes".
2. Don't confirm personal details: not your name, date of birth, address, account number or NMI.
3. If they say they're your provider, hang up and call back on the number on your bill or the company's official website.
4. Don't agree to anything on the phone. Ask them to send the offer in writing and decide later.
5. Keep it short. If the caller is a robot or won't say who they are, just hang up.

What if I already answered or gave details?

• If you only said "yes" and hung up, there's nothing to worry about. Block the number and report it in the spam numbers directory.
• If you gave personal or account details, keep an eye on your bills and any letters or emails about a new contract. If a switch you didn't agree to goes ahead, contact your original provider straight away.
• If you're signed up without your consent, use your cooling-off rights to cancel and complain to the company. If it isn't resolved, contact the energy ombudsman in your state (for example EWON in NSW) or, for phone and internet services, the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO).
• If you gave bank details or a code, call your bank immediately.

How do I cut down on these calls?

• Register your number on the Do Not Call Register. It's free, and most telemarketers aren't allowed to call registered numbers. Scammers ignore it, but it cuts down legitimate sales calls, which makes the rest easier to spot.
• Use your phone's call filtering (such as silencing unknown callers) and a call identification app like NoCall to see whether a number has been reported.
• Report persistent callers to your phone provider.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to avoid saying "yes" on the phone forever? No. It's not a magic word. It's simply a good habit to answer unknown callers neutrally and never confirm personal details to someone you haven't verified.

They called, I said "yes" and they hung up. Will they charge me? Not on the strength of that word alone. To charge you, they'd need your payment details. Watch your statements as usual and report the number.

Can they clone my voice from what I said? From one word, it's very unlikely to be useful. A longer conversation gives them more material, which is another reason to keep calls from strangers short.

Is reporting the number worth it? Yes. Reports help carriers and apps like NoCall flag numbers faster for everyone else.

In short

A recorded "yes" on its own doesn't sign you up to anything; the real risk is the personal and account details you share. Answer neutrally, don't confirm anything, call your provider back on an official number and use your cooling-off rights if needed. And report suspicious numbers in the NoCall spam numbers directory.