A Reminder: Hang Up When Phone Scammers Ask, 'Can You Hear Me?'

(STMW) -- Attorney General Lisa Madigan is warning residents about phone scams in which the caller tries to record people saying "yes" so they can use the recording to authorize unwanted credit card charges or bank withdrawals.

The attorney general's office has received an increase in complaints about these scam calls, according to a statement from Madigan's office.

The callers usually ask people, "Can you hear me?" so they can record a "yes" response, according to the attorney general's office. Scammers can then use the recording to authorize fraudulent charges.

Scammers will sometimes spoof caller ID devices so it appears the call is coming from a familiar area code, the attorney general's office said.

"Anyone who receives a phone call where the caller asks 'Can you hear me?' should say 'no' or nothing, and hang up," Madigan said.

Anyone who receives such calls can report them to the Federal Communications Commission or the attorney general's office at IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire copy; Chicago Sun-Times 2017. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)