Digital Life Secure Your Phone Tips

This Feb. 17, 2016, file photos shows an iPhone in Washington.

(Carolyn Kaster | The Associated Press)

A new scam that makes it dangerous just to pick up the phone is raising alarm across the country, and there have been numerous reports of it in Upstate New York.

The "can you hear me" scam works like this. You get an automated phone call from a voice that sounds legitimate. It identifies itself as a representative from a business, then asks "can you hear me?"

If you answer "yes," the scammer records it and uses your vocal affirmation to sign you up for products and services. Then, if you refuse to pay, the scammer can playback your "yes" to confirm that you agreed to make a purchase, according to the Better Business Bureau.

A quick scan of the BBB's scam tracker confirms that the calls have been reported across Upstate New York, including in the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany areas.

So what can you do to protect yourself when just one word can make you a scam victim?

USA Today offers a few tips: