Scammers behind these texts are using spoofing technology so that the messages appear to be coming from the Craigslist website. The text will say that you have a new notification about a Craigslist post and provide you with a fake link to it.
A Craigslist secret code allows you to post in restricted sections for 90 days. After 90 days have passed, attempting to post a new listing in a restricted section requires a new code. Once a code has been sent to a phone number, that number cannot be used to request a new code until the current code has expired.
Don't believe everything you hear. Scammers are now responding to ads but tricking sellers into thinking they are busy at work and can't talk until later. Instead of leaving you with a contact number, they request you enter your phone number into a website that “stores information” for them. Don't fall for it!
Some ad categories also require telephone verification. ... Craigslist verifies the phone number by sending a text message to your cellphone or placing a call to your land line. You must enter the verification code you receive to verify your account and continue posting your ad.
The scam is also known as the “Google Voice Code Verification” scam and it can victimize anyone who has ever displayed their phone number publicly on the Internet — for instance, when posting an ad. The scammer will then get in touch with the potential victim as if they were responding to the said ad.
The Legitimacy of the Offer
Their email address will come from Craigslist itself as indicated previously and may include specific questions on the item. Someone honestly interested in your offering will want to know more details, ask if you are open to haggling or ask if the product has been sold yet.
Craigslist does not back any transaction on its site. If you receive an email or text trying to sell you purchase protection, you're looking at a scam. There is no such thing as a Craigslist voicemail service. If a contact asks you to access or check your “Craigslist voicemails,” you're dealing with a scammer.
Safeguard Your Privacy on Your Listing
Instead, use Google Voice, which allows you to select a different phone number from your own, but still accept calls and texts. Your email should always be protected as well, so always use the proxy email that Craigslist offers when posting a listing on Craigslist.
You might need to enter a verification code if you try to create a new Google account, reset your password, or log into a different computer or device. Google verification codes offer enhanced security to keep criminals and hackers from hijacking your account and stealing your personal information.
If someone steals your phone number, they become you — for all intents and purposes. With your phone number, a hacker can start hijacking your accounts one by one by having a password reset sent to your phone. They can trick automated systems — like your bank — into thinking they're you when you call customer service.
If you get calls from people saying your number is showing up on their caller ID, it's likely that your number has been spoofed. We suggest first that you do not answer any calls from unknown numbers, but if you do, explain that your telephone number is being spoofed and that you did not actually make any calls.
Report Telephone Scams
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