you may become a victim of telephone scam

Fraud calls are a strategy used by cybercriminals to steal personal information and perform transactions on behalf of the victim, such as accessing bank accounts.

These scams, known as “vishing” (voice phishing), are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated, prompting the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) to issue a warning on how to protect yourself from such scams.

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Hector Farres

According to the OCU, an important detail that allows you to avoid falling for the bait of these scammers is the use of the word “yes.” This term can be written down by scammers and used as consent to access the victim’s personal and banking data. During a scam call, answering “yes” can give criminals the permission they need to commit a scam.

The OCU warns that scammers use this technique in two main ways. In the first method, the victim is called and, having said “yes,” activates a recording informing about the registration of the service.

You should never answer “yes”

When attempting to confirm or cancel a proposed service, the victim provides personal information that is used by the scammers.

The second method involves the scammer impersonating a trusted entity, such as a service provider or bank. During the conversation, they ask questions until the victim answers “yes.” This “yes” record is then used to authorize fraudulent transactions or change account settings.

Given these risks, OCU recommends that you exercise extreme caution when answering calls from unknown numbers and avoid providing personal or banking information over the phone. If you receive a suspicious call, it is recommended that you hang up and contact the person believed to be involved directly to verify the authenticity of the call.

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