Report suspicious activity to marketplace platforms and to BBB.org/ScamTracker immediately. Read more about this scam on the Federal Trade Commission website. Get more tips by reading the BBB Tip: Selling used items online and view our online shopping hub. Understand how the platform you use verifies both sellers and buyers, and stick to their guidelines when selling and buying items. If someone asks you to carry out transactions elsewhere, be wary. Most online marketplaces encourage you NOT to make transactions outside of the platform. Avoid making transactions with people who offer you deals that sound too good to be true (i.e., overpaying for an item you listed for sale) or people who pressure you to make a deal quickly. Never give out your phone number in public social media posts. Be sure you know who you are speaking with before you share it. You don’t need to give someone your phone number to make a sale on an online marketplace. Can I send the verification code to your phone number?’” At that, the seller got suspicious and asked if it was a scam. If you’re real, I will trust and meet you. Then, I agreed, and he said, ‘Ok, first I want to verify you. One seller told BBB Scam Tracker about their experience listing an item on Facebook Marketplace and getting a response from an interested buyer. Or, if a scammer gets your Google Voice verification code and other information about you, they can pretend to be you and open new accounts in your name. Then, the scammer can then use that phone number to conceal their identity. If you send the verification code, the scammer will be able to complete the account setup. The scammer is setting up a Google Voice number linked to your phone number. Sounds reasonable, right? However, here’s what’s really happening. They instruct you to reply with the 6-digit code on the platform where your item is listed. The scammer asks for your phone number so that they can text you a verification code. The “buyer” claims to be very interested in your item, but they want to make sure you are legitimate first. You list an item and get an immediate response from a potential buyer. However, scammers are using a clever trick to target sellers and set up a phone number in their name. Selling items on an online marketplace like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace can be an easy way to make extra money and get rid of things you don’t need.
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