Google Voice Code Facebook Marketplace Scam, Explained

Beware of a Google Voice 6-digit verification code Facebook Marketplace scam or hack that involves receiving a text on your phone while attempting to sell an item on the Meta platform, Craigslist, OfferUp, and potentially other apps. Never give six-digit codes that you receive in texts to any strangers, ever. See the link below for what to do if you were a victim of this scam.

Here’s what this scam is all about. In July 2022, and in previous years, scammers have sought to target potential victims with a code scam involving Facebook Marketplace and Google Voice. Let's say you are a seller and you are listing a bicycle on Facebook Marketplace. If you immediately receive one or more messages within seconds or minutes and those potential buyers show urgency and that they are very interested in buying the bicycle, they might be scammers.

As a part of their code scam strategy, the Facebook Marketplace scammers will ask for your phone number if they didn’t already get it from the listing. They will also tell you that they are skeptical of you and that they think you (yes, you) might be a scammer, which of course is not true. They then say that they will buy the bicycle, but first you need to reassure them that you are not a scammer, asking you to tell them the 6-digit Google Voice verification code that you received in a text message. They are able to initiate this code to be sent to you from Google if they have your phone number from you two texting together or from it being visible on the website.

You might be wondering what the aim is of the Facebook Marketplace scammers if they do receive your 6-digit Google Voice verification code. Here’s what they are trying to do. The scammers may want to create a Google Voice account that is connected with your name and phone number so that they can continue targeting victims using your phone number. Google Voice is a telephone service that runs off of an internet signal, so imagine that someone is scamming people using the phone number you’ve had for years. It’s not a good situation to be in.

Do not give the Facebook Marketplace scammers any of your 6-digit Google Voice verification codes. They may also want to try to gain access to your Google account, personal information, or even try to go with a complex scam that allows them to get into your Facebook account. If you use Google’s Gmail for your email address that’s associated with your Facebook account, and they get into your Gmail account with their scam, then they may be able to access your Facebook account.

Did you accidentally give a 6-digit Google Voice verification code to a Facebook Marketplace scammer? Immediately go here and follow the steps: https://support.google.com/voice/answ.... Also, I recommend changing your Google and Facebook passwords. Make sure they are strong passwords. Make them fairly long and include a variety of characters. If it's easy to type for you, it might also be easy to type for a scammer.

Lastly, enable two-factor authentication. This is important. This adds an additional layer of security on top of just your password. This means that anytime you log out and have to log back in on Google or Facebook, it will ask for your password as usual, but then it will also send you a code or ask you to check a “code generator.” This is a helpful feature in case your passwords are ever compromised.

Here’s how to enable two-factor authentication on Google and Facebook:
https://support.google.com/accounts/a...
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