Never, Never, Never say YES
 

Had a brand-new one today...... speaking of phishing/scams.......
Phone rang and I answered it, (which I usually do not do if I don't recognize caller), but was expecting a call from someone whose number I did not have in contacts...
I answered "hello"
Caller asked if I could hear her...... I replied, I can hear you
she repeated , can you hear me....... I can hear you
she asked if I had speaker on....... i replied, speaker on
she asked if I was on cell phone..... I replied, this is a cell phone...
You get the picture here.....this person asked over 15 questions, fishing for a "yes or no" answer..... I played along, out of boredom, I guess.....
I had heard about this, but never experienced anyone attempting to get the "yes" out of me this persistently......
PLEASE, pay attention folk........NEVER SAY YES.......

I understand that sometimes your voice can be used as voice print to apply for new credit card etc. And the word “yes” is essential.

That one has been around for years. As soon as you say “yes” they got you

I don’t answer the phone if I don’t know who is calling. Since Tuesday I have had 8 spam calls, not one message left.

I wonder about the calls that say nothing and hang up even if you say nothing. Why?

My guess:
1. They dialed several numbers at the same time and someone picked up before you.

2. If you say nothing then their system thinks the call failed or there is no one on the line so they hang up.

I normally wait three seconds before saying "hello." If I then hear a click or someone comes on the line I know it is a voice-activated system and most likely a SPAM call,

I let the answering machine get the calls but answer the cell phone but only with "Hello"!

I have totally solved my telemarketing problem by leaving my phone on "do not disturb" except for numbers that are stored on my contacts list. If someone not on my contacts list calls, they need to leave a message. So far, it has worked perfectly. I know that I may miss a few calls from someone who is not the list, but it is worth it. Note that, if someone calls more than once within 15 minutes, the call will go through.

I have a Google Pixel phone, and it lets me screen the calls before I answer. When the phone rings, it says "Answer" "Decline" or "Screen" or something like that. When I hit "Screen" it answers (Google answers) the phone with their automated voice, saying something like "please state why you're calling" and when they respond it prints out the text, I can hit buttons to answer with the Google voice.
Here's a video from Youtube/Google: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EML41O7dJ6s
and another demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvFjUcciMEA

Pretty handy, and their older Pixel phones are pretty inexpensive!

The problem with that feature is that the phone still rings. I get about 15 telemarketing calls every day. But, by using the "do not disturb" setting, the phone never rings, unless the number is on my contacts list.

Never, never, never talk to scammers. You gave them a great sampling of your voice and now they can probably synthesize their own “yes”

Can be computer checking if this is a working number.

MY phone normally posts a "Potential Spam" so I don't answer those. If one gets by, I wait and then answer only with a "hello." If someone is on the other end and starts with the BS, I keep saying "hello?" and then another "hello?" and they will ask me if I can hear them. I keep doing that until they hang up. If I am in a particular funny mood, if I get a live person, I ask them what they are wearing and then tell them that they sound sexy. I don't feel sorry for anyone that markets on the phone, and especially for the spammers.

ditto with a few tweaks.
I go to bed with 3 phones nearby
cell#1 is shut down and my personal 911 device if needed
cell phone # 2 ( retired) still gets wifi and is used as my alarm clock
home phone # 1 unlisted is my connection to 911
home phone #2 is condemned to the bowels of the hvac room in semi retirement

credit
 

just freeze your credit - these responses sound unlikely

How to Freeze Your Credit - NerdWallet