"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"

The phone rings, you answer and a voice asks: "Can you hear me?", "Am I speaking to the account holder?" or "Is this [your name]?". You say "yes" almost by reflex and, a few seconds later, the call drops or carries on with a confusing offer. Then the worry sets in: did they record my "yes" to use against me? It is one of the most widely forwarded warnings on WhatsApp, and it mixes a real risk with a lot of exaggeration. Here is which part is myth, which part is true and what to do.

What is the "yes" call?

The story that goes around is this: a scammer asks you a question whose natural answer is "yes", records that word and later presents it as proof that you agreed to a contract, a debit order or an upgrade. The pattern is usually:

• A short, neutral question as soon as you pick up: "Can you hear me?", "Are you there?", "Are you the account holder?".
• Silence or a hang-up right after your answer, or a recorded voice that keeps talking.
• Sometimes an offer follows: a cellphone upgrade, insurance, a funeral policy, a loan or a "free" gift, where you are asked to confirm details "for the recording".

These calls exist, and plenty of people get them. What deserves a calm look is what can actually be done with that "yes".

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. This is what matters:

1. A single word is not a contract. Valid consent requires a clear offer, your details, a description of what you are agreeing to and your clear acceptance. A "yes" cut out of a conversation where they asked whether you could hear them proves none of that.
2. Direct marketing has extra protections. Under the Consumer Protection Act, if you enter into an agreement because of direct marketing, such as a sales call, you generally have a cooling-off period of five business days to cancel it in writing without giving a reason. A dispute about a contract you never agreed to can be taken to the National Consumer Commission.
3. A charge needs more than your voice. To bill your card or set up a debit order they need your banking details. If you have not given them, a recorded "yes" does not replace them.

That is why the alarmist version ("they empty your account with your yes") is largely a myth. But there are real risks around these calls, and they are worth knowing.

So what is the real risk?

• You confirm your number is live. Many of these calls are automated and simply check whether a person answers. A number that picks up is worth more and tends to get more sales calls and more scam attempts.
• Products you never really agreed to. The most concrete risk in South Africa is with insurance, funeral cover, cellphone contracts, upgrades and paid content subscriptions. If during the call you give your full name, ID number, address or banking details, they can use them to load a product or a debit order. The danger is not your "yes", it is the details you hand over.
• Material to clone your voice. Artificial intelligence tools can imitate a voice from a few seconds of clean audio. A single word gives them little, but a long conversation can. The most common use of a cloned voice is fooling your relatives with the "family member in trouble" scam, not signing contracts.
• More elaborate vishing calls. Sometimes "can you hear me?" is just the opening of a call in which someone pretends to be your bank, your network or SARS to get passwords or OTPs out of you.

How should I answer a suspicious call?

1. Let the caller speak first. If you answer an unknown number, say "Hello?" or "Who's calling?" and wait for them to identify themselves. There is no need to obsess over never saying "yes": what matters is what comes next.
2. Do not confirm personal details. Not your full name, ID number, address, or account or card numbers. A legitimate company calling you already knows who you are and does not need you to "confirm it for the recording".
3. Do not agree to anything over the phone. If an offer interests you, ask for it in writing and sign up yourself through the company's official channels.
4. Hang up when in doubt. If there is silence, a recording or pressure to decide quickly, hang up. It is not rude: it is phone hygiene.
5. Check on your own. If they say they are your bank or your network, hang up and call the official number on your card, in the app or on your bill.
6. Block and report the number. Blocking it stops repeat calls, and reporting it in the spam numbers directory helps others recognise it. An app like NoCall can warn you before you pick up if a number has already been flagged by other users.

What if I already answered or gave details?

If you only said "yes" and they hung up, nothing serious has happened: just keep an eye out. If you gave details or think they could be used, do this:

• Check your bills, airtime and bank statements over the coming weeks. Look for debit orders you do not recognise or welcome messages from companies you never signed up with.
• If a product or contract you did not ask for appears, complain in writing to the company, saying that you did not consent and asking for the full call recording and the contract documents. If you agreed to something under pressure during a sales call, cancel it in writing within the cooling-off period. If you get nowhere, take it to the National Consumer Commission, or to ICASA for cellphone services.
• If an unknown debit order goes off, ask your bank to reverse it and to stop future debits from that company.
• If you gave banking details or passwords, call your bank's fraud line now to block the card or your online access.
• If you suspect your voice has been used, tell your family never to send money because of an urgent call "from you" without checking first, for example with a question only you would know the answer to.
• If there has been fraud, open a case at your nearest police station (SAPS). If you are being threatened or are in danger, call 10111, or 112 from a cellphone.

How do I cut down on these calls?

• Tell each company to stop. Under the Consumer Protection Act you have the right to refuse direct marketing, and companies must respect that. Ask them to remove your number and note the date.
• Personal information has protection too. Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), if a company keeps using your details for marketing after you have objected, you can complain to the Information Regulator.
• Watch for the national opt-out list. The National Consumer Commission has announced a National Opt-Out Registry for direct marketing; check its site for when you can register.
• Do not eagerly answer unknown numbers. If it matters, they will leave a message or call back.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to avoid saying "yes" on the phone forever? No. It is a good habit not to answer strangers with an automatic "yes", but an isolated "yes" does not commit you to anything. What really needs protecting is your personal and banking information.

They called, I said "yes" and they hung up. Will they charge me? Very unlikely. To charge you they need your payment details, and to sign you up they need your identification and a clear agreement. Watch your statements for a few weeks and, if anything looks odd, complain.

Can they clone my voice from what I said? From one word, it is hard. From a conversation of several minutes, it is more feasible. That is why it pays not to drag out calls with strangers and to agree with your family on a way to check urgent calls.

Is reporting the number worth it? Yes. These campaigns use the same numbers on thousands of people. Every report in the NoCall spam numbers directory helps the next person know what is behind a call before they pick up.

In short

The "can you hear me?" call is real, but the fear that a recorded "yes" will sign you up or empty your account is mostly a myth. The real risk lies in the details you give afterwards and in long conversations with strangers. Let them speak first, do not confirm details, do not sign up by phone, hang up when in doubt and check through official channels. And if you get one of these calls, report it: your warning protects whoever gets it next.