You might think answering the phone with “hello” is harmless — but scammers have found a way to use even that to their advantage.
Automated fraud systems record your greeting to verify that your number is active and that the voice on the line matches previous recordings. This confirmation helps scammers fine-tune their voice models and validate stolen information for later use.
A Safer Way to Answer Unknown Calls:
- Let the caller speak first. If it’s a legitimate contact, they’ll identify themselves.
- Respond cautiously with questions like:
- “Who are you trying to reach?”
- “How can I help you?”
- If the caller hesitates or refuses to identify themselves, hang up immediately.
