Phone rings and you answer the call. On the other end of the line, you hear someone talking – maybe it sounds slightly garbled – and then they ask, “can you near me?” You answer “yes” and they hang up immediately or make an excuse to get off the phone.

The entire conversation lasted only a minute or two but that’s all it takes for criminals to use your reply to pull off a scam, according to the Better Business Bureau.

BBB’s Scam Tracker refers to these calls as the “can you hear me?” scam. Typically, this is how it works:

You get a call from someone who almost immediately asks “can you hear me.” Their goal is to get you to say “yes,” which most people would do instinctively in that situation. They may fumble around a bit or tell you they are having a problem with their headset or ask to call you back.

In reality, BBB explains the “person” on the other end is a robocall that’s recording your conversation and your “yes” could be edited later to make it sound like you authorized a major purchase. Your “yes” could also confirm to the scammer they have reached an actual person with a legitimate number, enabling future targeting of phone call scams.

In other variations, the caller may ask “is this your name” or some other question that will prompt you to answer “yes.”

The caller may hang up or continue the conversation to try and steal you information or record more of your voice.

How to protect yourself, from the BBB

Use caller ID

Consider not answering unfamiliar numbers. They will leave a message if it’s important and you can decide which calls to return.

Just hang up

If someone from an unfamiliar number calls and asks, “can you hear me” or “is this your name?” do not answer “yes” and hang up immediately. Scammers sometimes change their tactics as the public catches on to tricks, so be alert to any questions designed to solicit a “yes.”

Make a note of the number

Report the number to the BBB.org/ScamTracker to help warn others. The information is also shared with government and law enforcement agencies, so every piece of information helps track down scammers.

Join the Do Not Call Registry

Join the Do Not Call registry to cut down on telemarketing and sales calls. This won’t stop scammers but will cut down on the total number of calls, making it easier to spot the scammers.

Check your bank and credit card statements

Check financial information regularly for unauthorized charges. Checking your telephone and cell phone bills is also a good idea. Scammers may use your voice’s “Yes” recording to authorize charges on your phone. This is called “cramming,” and it’s illegal. If you’re worried, notify your bank and credit card company. They may be able to put an alert on your accounts for unauthorized transactions or freeze your credit cards temporarily.