The purpose of these suspicious calls is not to have a meaningful conversation but to manipulate unsuspecting victims. Fraudsters often rely on surprise and urgency to lower a person’s guard, knowing that people who have just been awakened are less likely to question unusual requests. By encouraging someone to answer with a simple confirmation such as “yes,” scammers hope to obtain a recording that they may later misuse in attempts to support false claims or deceptive transactions. While many stories about “yes” recordings are exaggerated, scam calls themselves are very real, and staying cautious is still important.

The safest response is often the simplest one: don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize, especially if they ring once and stop or arrive at unusual hours. If the call is legitimate, the caller will usually leave a voicemail or contact you through another trusted method. If you do answer and immediately hear an unexpected question or something that feels suspicious, it’s perfectly reasonable to end the call without continuing the conversation. You are never obligated to remain on the line simply to be polite.

Taking a few preventive steps can greatly reduce your risk. Enable your phone’s spam-filtering and call-blocking features, keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements for unfamiliar charges, and review your mobile phone bill regularly. If you ever notice suspicious activity, contact your bank, credit card provider, or phone carrier immediately so they can investigate and help secure your accounts. Acting quickly can often prevent a small issue from becoming a much larger problem.

Perhaps the most valuable protection is trusting your instincts. If something about a phone call feels unusual, rushed, or designed to pressure you into responding, it’s wise to be cautious. Legitimate organizations rarely expect immediate verbal confirmation from someone they have unexpectedly called in the middle of the night. You don’t owe unknown callers your personal information, your time, or even a response. By staying alert and refusing to engage with suspicious calls, you can greatly reduce your chances of becoming the next target of a phone scam.