"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 an unknown number. A voice, sometimes a recording, asks "Hello, can you hear me?", "Is that Mr Murphy?" or "Are you the account holder?". You say "yes" and the line goes dead, or the conversation gets strange. Then you start to worry: did they record me? Can they use that "yes" to sign me up for something? It's a worry that circulates widely in WhatsApp chain messages. The honest answer: a single recorded "yes" isn't enough on its own to sign you up for a valid contract, but these calls still carry real risks worth knowing about.

What is the "yes" call?

It's a call designed to get a short affirmative answer from you. It usually comes in one of these forms:

• A short question and a hang-up: "Can you hear me?" or "Is this [your name]?", then silence.
• A call-centre script: a supposed electricity, phone or insurance company asks a string of questions where every answer is "yes": "Are you the account holder?", "Do you agree to receive the discount?", "Do you confirm your details?".
• A robocall that asks you to say "yes" or press a key to "confirm".

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

It's mostly a myth, but with nuances:

• A valid contract needs more than a single word. For a phone sale, the company has to give you clear information about what you're agreeing to, and you generally have the right to cancel a contract made by phone within a cooling-off period (usually 14 days). A "yes" taken out of context, with no information about the product, the price or the conditions, is weak evidence.
• The risk is in the full script. Where it can go wrong is a call in which they read out conditions quickly, ask you to confirm your name, address, account details or meter number (MPRN for electricity, GPRN for gas), and you answer "yes" to everything. With those details and a recording, they can try to switch your supplier or sign you up to something without you realising. In that case, the problem isn't the single word: it's the details you confirmed.
• Disputing it works. If a company claims you agreed to something you didn't, you can ask for the recording and proof of consent, cancel within the cooling-off period, and complain.

So what is the real risk?

• Confirming your number is active. Any answer tells the caller that a real person picks up at that number. Your number becomes more valuable and you'll get more calls.
• Social engineering. The "yes" opens the door to a longer conversation where they try to get personal or banking details.
• Unauthorised switches. Using details you confirmed, they may try to change your electricity, gas or phone provider without your clear consent.
• Voice cloning. With longer recordings of your voice, AI tools can imitate it. A single "yes" isn't much material, but a long conversation is more. That's why it's better to say little to unknown callers.

How should I respond to a suspicious call?

1. Don't answer with "yes" automatically. Try "Who's calling?" or "What's this about?".
2. Don't confirm personal details: name, address, date of birth, bank account, MPRN or GPRN.
3. If they say they're from your supplier or bank, hang up and ring the official number on your bill, card or app yourself.
4. If it's a recording asking you to press a key or say "yes", hang up. ComReg's advice on scam calls is clear: don't follow instructions from a recorded message.
5. Block the number and report it in the spam numbers directory.

What if I already answered or gave details?

• If you only said "yes" and they hung up: don't worry too much. Keep an eye on your bills and statements over the next few weeks, and be alert to follow-up calls.
• If you confirmed personal or account details: watch for letters or emails about contract changes or new services. If a switch appears that you didn't ask for, contact your current supplier straight away and the new company in writing, asking for proof of consent and cancelling within the cooling-off period.
• If you gave bank details: ring your bank on the official number and ask them to watch your account.
• If a company won't cancel a switch you didn't agree to: use its complaints process; for phone and broadband you can then go to ComReg, and for electricity and gas to the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU).
• If you've lost money, report it to the Gardaí at your local Garda station.

How do I cut down on these calls?

• Don't answer unknown numbers you weren't expecting and let important callers leave a message.
• Use a call identification app like NoCall to see whether a number has been reported.
• Ask your phone provider to block numbers that call you persistently.
• For marketing calls you never agreed to, you can ask your phone provider to record on the National Directory Database that you don't want marketing calls, and complain to the Data Protection Commission if a company keeps calling without your consent. Bear in mind this won't stop scammers, who ignore the rules.

Frequently asked questions

Is it dangerous just to answer an unknown call? No. Answering doesn't cost you anything and doesn't sign you up for anything. The risk lies in what you say and do afterwards.

Should I stay silent when I answer? Not necessary. A neutral "Hello" or "Who's calling?" is fine.

What if a company says it has a recording of me accepting? Ask for the recording and the written terms. If you didn't agree, dispute it in writing and complain. A short "yes" with no context isn't proof of informed consent.

Can they clone my voice from that call? Short clips give little material, but it's another reason not to have long conversations with unknown callers.

In short

A single "yes" won't sign you up for anything on its own, but confirming details on a suspicious call can open the door to unwanted switches and further scams. Ask who's calling, confirm nothing, and ring the company yourself on its official number. If something changes on your bills without your consent, dispute it in writing. And report the number in the NoCall spam numbers directory.