TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) – Scammers are turning the tables on their victims with a con involving sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
The Better Business Bureau has a warning about criminals trying to hijack your phone number.
Here’s how the scam works. You list an item you want to sell online. You get an immediate response but the potential buyer wants to know your are legitimate. They ask for your phone number, then asks you to send the a six digit verification code that’s been sent to your phone. What scammers are really doing is setting up a Google Voice account with your phone number.
To avoid scams like this, the BBB says know marketplace policies. Most advise against transactions outside the platform. Look for red flags like buyers who are too eager to pay, and don’t give out your personal information online, including your phone number.
To learn more about this scam and to report scams to the BBB’s Scam Tracker, click here.
