The Long Version

Sometimes it hits me: I'm old. Like this morning, when I got a phone call from a New York number that I didn't recognize.

I'm so old that I sometimes forget that we live in a world where strangers will attempt to take advantage of you, rob you, exploit you, etc. via your phone. Not that I answered the call--I have learned that it is best not to answer a call from any number I don't recognize. (Okay, that's bullshit: the truth is that I personally don't recognize more than one or two phone numbers myself; I have learned that it is best not to answer a call from any number that my phone doesn't recognize.) If it's important, the caller will leave a voice mail.

And most of the time they don't, so end of story. So I was surprised when, a minute or so after I'd rejected this call, my phone made a sound to indicate that I had a new message. I dialed it up. It was mostly indecipherable noise, no doubt by design--you could almost make out words--and then a clear statement: "contact us before we take legal action against you." Well, that got my attention. 

Not that I have any particular fear of having a Done Somebody Wrong Song in my catalog, but there are so many things that can happen in this day . . . y'know? And I do  have a few seriously (literally literally) crazy ex-es, so who knows what could pop up?

I Googled the phone number. 

Didn't get any information about it other than a verification that it was from Syracuse, New York, which my phone already knew. 

I wanted to just forget about it, but I have to admit that it was bothering me, bothering me. So I Googled "phone call threatening legal action against me." 

Jackpot. 

Apparently this is a new scam. I read a little article about it (available at http://www.toyourwealth.com/phone-scam-can-you-hear-me/) which said in part,

"If someone calls and asks 'Can you hear me?', do NOT answer 'yes.' Just hang up. Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so be alert for other questions designed to solicit a simple 'yes' answer."

These bastards are using your voice saying "Yes" to approve purchases, contracts, that sort of thing.

Holy shit.

Sure hope you leave me a message if you call me from a phone number that my phone doesn't know. If you don't . . . well. Sorry. But better sorry and safe is the mantra of my dotage. At least when it comes to phone usage.