MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Selling items online can be easy and profitable, but there are a few things sellers need to be on the lookout for.
FOX13 has discovered a new scam targeting people who are trying to make a quick return on their items and who have listed their phone numbers online.
We’re all familiar with two-step authentication. That six-digit code sent to your phone serves as an extra layer of security for your online accounts.
But now, scammers have found a way to get around it and are using it to their advantage.
“They come out acting like they want to make sure you aren’t a scammer. But, they are the ones trying to scam you,” Daniel Irwin with the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South said.
It all starts when someone puts their phone number online, whether on Facebook Marketplace, a Craigslist ad, or even a post for a lost pet.
A scammer will see that number, reach out to you, and then act interested in what you’re trying to sell.
“The way it usually goes is you’ll get some type of text message or maybe a call from the scammer, and they will claim that they’re interested,” Irwin said. “They’ll say they want to make sure you’re not a scammer, so they want to send you a verification code.”
However, they’re really trying to set up a Google Voice account with your number.
If you give them the verification code, they’ll be able to use your number to scam others while hiding their own identity.
Google Voice is a free service that lets you merge…
