Listen up for new 'can you hear me' scam
Ohio attorney general advising residents to answer by hanging up
The Ohio attorney general’s office is warning of the new “can you hear me” scam tricking people into responding with a “yes” that allows for unauthorized utility and phone charges. File photo
NORTH ROYALTON - If anyone receives a phone call and the caller asks, "can you hear me," Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says residents should respond by simply hanging up.
The latest fraud is the "can you hear me" scam. Such calls have been reported across the nation and have now made their way to Ohio's doorstep.
Since Jan. 27, the state attorney general's office has been receiving reports of these suspicious calls. Callers ask, "Can you hear me?" attempting to trick the person on the other end of the line into saying, "yes," and using this response to place unauthorized charges to their phone or utility bill.
Some have even reported they were told they had won a vacation or a cruise or the caller claimed to be with an extended warranty company. Calls seem to be local in nature with 614 or 330 area codes.
Both the North Royalton police and fire departments appealed to the public via their Facebook pages, encouraging residents to read more about the scam.
"Any time people receive a call that's suspicious, we encourage them to be very careful and not to respond to the call," DeWine stated in a alert through his office. "When in doubt, just hang up. If you need help or if you suspect a scam, contact the Ohio attorney general's office."
With any phone scam, residents should not respond to a suspicious call but instead let it go to voicemail or hang up if it seems even remotely questionable especially if it's an automated call, typical with phone scams. Never trust caller ID because numbers can be spoofed or placed over the Internet. Phone bills and credit card statements should always be reviewed regularly and any suspicious charges reported to the provider.
North Royalton Safety Director Bruce Campbell said when in doubt, just hang up.
"I get calls sometimes. If it doesn't sound right, or if someone is asking a question, I don't even answer, I just hang up. I think most have caller ID and don't tend to answer calls they don't recognize. When in doubt or if you suspect something suspicious, just hang up," he suggests.
Those who suspect a scam or who want help resolving a consumer problem should contact the Ohio attorney general's office at OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs recently launched a Scam Squad uniting nonprofit groups and local, state and federal law enforcement in the battle against fraud. Residents can also contact this task force at 216-443-7035 if they receive a suspicious call.BRUNSWICK - Renovations to Laurel Square, which involved a new look for the exterior of the plaza in 2016, are expected to continue well into 2017 with the addition of a new restaurant on the shopping center's western edge.
Preliminary site plans calling for a new 8,700-square-foot Zeppe's Tavern were presented to the city's Planning Commission Feb. 2. The project is expected to feature a sit-down restaurant consisting of two dining rooms, a private dining area, a party room, a take-out order area, a main bar and a kitchen area.
Additionally, a 4,710-square-foot outdoor patio has been proposed that will include two outdoor bars, a stage area for outdoor concerts and a firebox for a total surface area of 13,410 square feet.
The facility will be located on a currently vacant outlot on the western outskirts of Laurel Square, 1733 Pearl Road. That lot is located just south of McDonald's and just north of the building that houses the Brunswick Family Restaurant, Mr. Hero and Fat Bob's Pizza.
Leon Sampat, engineer for the project, told members of the Planning Commission the restaurant will be located in-line with the two existing restaurant buildings in Laurel Square to maintain the aesthetic appeal. Accordingly, he said, the proposed outdoor patio will be located on the building's east side to allow for carryout pickup and accompanying parking spaces to be located along Pearl Road.
Planning Commission Member Jeff Arona calls the project "a great compliment to the site."
"I really like the creativeness going into the project," Arona said, "particularly when it comes to the fact that you are going to offer a full menu and not just pizza."
Arona said the Planning Commission also appreciates the fact that the design team for the project took the time to build the outdoor entertainment area into the plans for the building.
Because the nearby restaurants on both sides of the proposed Zeppe's Tavern feature drive-thru pickup lanes, members of the commission said they plan to take caution to make sure that existing traffic patterns and noise from the restaurant's outdoor entertainment center have a minimal effect on its neighbors.
To minimize the impact, Sampat told the commission that the owner of the restaurant intends to construct a 6-foot privacy fence and install landscaping around the patio to shield the sound from the outdoor stage as best as possible.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to move the project to a detailed site plan review.
The latest fraud is the "can you hear me" scam. Such calls have been reported across the nation and have now made their way to Ohio's doorstep.
Since Jan. 27, the state attorney general's office has been receiving reports of these suspicious calls. Callers ask, "Can you hear me?" attempting to trick the person on the other end of the line into saying, "yes," and using this response to place unauthorized charges to their phone or utility bill.
Some have even reported they were told they had won a vacation or a cruise or the caller claimed to be with an extended warranty company. Calls seem to be local in nature with 614 or 330 area codes.
Both the North Royalton police and fire departments appealed to the public via their Facebook pages, encouraging residents to read more about the scam.
"Any time people receive a call that's suspicious, we encourage them to be very careful and not to respond to the call," DeWine stated in a alert through his office. "When in doubt, just hang up. If you need help or if you suspect a scam, contact the Ohio attorney general's office."
With any phone scam, residents should not respond to a suspicious call but instead let it go to voicemail or hang up if it seems even remotely questionable especially if it's an automated call, typical with phone scams. Never trust caller ID because numbers can be spoofed or placed over the Internet. Phone bills and credit card statements should always be reviewed regularly and any suspicious charges reported to the provider.
North Royalton Safety Director Bruce Campbell said when in doubt, just hang up.
"I get calls sometimes. If it doesn't sound right, or if someone is asking a question, I don't even answer, I just hang up. I think most have caller ID and don't tend to answer calls they don't recognize. When in doubt or if you suspect something suspicious, just hang up," he suggests.
Those who suspect a scam or who want help resolving a consumer problem should contact the Ohio attorney general's office at OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs recently launched a Scam Squad uniting nonprofit groups and local, state and federal law enforcement in the battle against fraud. Residents can also contact this task force at 216-443-7035 if they receive a suspicious call.BRUNSWICK - Renovations to Laurel Square, which involved a new look for the exterior of the plaza in 2016, are expected to continue well into 2017 with the addition of a new restaurant on the shopping center's western edge.
Preliminary site plans calling for a new 8,700-square-foot Zeppe's Tavern were presented to the city's Planning Commission Feb. 2. The project is expected to feature a sit-down restaurant consisting of two dining rooms, a private dining area, a party room, a take-out order area, a main bar and a kitchen area.
Additionally, a 4,710-square-foot outdoor patio has been proposed that will include two outdoor bars, a stage area for outdoor concerts and a firebox for a total surface area of 13,410 square feet.
The facility will be located on a currently vacant outlot on the western outskirts of Laurel Square, 1733 Pearl Road. That lot is located just south of McDonald's and just north of the building that houses the Brunswick Family Restaurant, Mr. Hero and Fat Bob's Pizza.
Leon Sampat, engineer for the project, told members of the Planning Commission the restaurant will be located in-line with the two existing restaurant buildings in Laurel Square to maintain the aesthetic appeal. Accordingly, he said, the proposed outdoor patio will be located on the building's east side to allow for carryout pickup and accompanying parking spaces to be located along Pearl Road.
Planning Commission Member Jeff Arona calls the project "a great compliment to the site."
"I really like the creativeness going into the project," Arona said, "particularly when it comes to the fact that you are going to offer a full menu and not just pizza."
Arona said the Planning Commission also appreciates the fact that the design team for the project took the time to build the outdoor entertainment area into the plans for the building.
Because the nearby restaurants on both sides of the proposed Zeppe's Tavern feature drive-thru pickup lanes, members of the commission said they plan to take caution to make sure that existing traffic patterns and noise from the restaurant's outdoor entertainment center have a minimal effect on its neighbors.
To minimize the impact, Sampat told the commission that the owner of the restaurant intends to construct a 6-foot privacy fence and install landscaping around the patio to shield the sound from the outdoor stage as best as possible.
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to move the project to a detailed site plan review.