Have you ever posted something to Craigslist and received a text message from an interested buyer asking for you to send them a verification code? If you have you might be in trouble. The Craigslist verification code scam is a malicious scheme used to associate your phone number with the scammer’s Craigslist account. This way, the scammer can verify their account using your phone number and then use their Craigslist account for various activities. The scammer won’t get in trouble for illegal or prohibited activities they conduct on the website; you will. The scammers might also sign up your phone for other third-party services outside of Craigslist.
Here’s what a conversation with a Craigslist verification code scammer might look like (this is an actual conversion that took place with one):
Scammer: I wanna Buy you still available?
Scammer: <listed item>
Seller: The item is available
Scammer: I have sent you a quick verification code from craigslist, if your post is real send me to the code, You know most of the post is fake.
Seller: No.
Scammer: ok atfast sand this code of you are real, than i call you, ok
If you’re new to Craigslist it is understandable that a verification code might seem like something often used on the website. However, it is not. The scammers use the code to sign your phone up for something or link your phone to their own Craigslist account. The code might be a real confirmation number used for a service and sent to your phone. I’m sure you’ve signed up for something that has needed a confirmation code; this works the same way except the scammer is the one signing up.
If you fell for the Craigslist verification code scam and sent a scammer your code contact Craigslist and let them know that someone asked you for your code:
- Visit this page: https://craigslist.org/contact
- Once on the page, click scams and then click I received a call/email from someone asking for my code to open an option to contact Craigslist.
24 Comments
Annoying bots… Literally had 10 of them message me. Got excited for no reason-
[…] Craigslist verification code scam – Do not disclose your … […]
Sean,
Get a new phone number as they now have control of your phone and calls through google voice. Been there done that
experienced same as all participants but red before and at the end sent code to scammer 321 FU2!
1
I use a text free number for my postings on Craigslist and say bad things to the scammers that contact me, text free is an app that lets you use an alternative number for free so you don’t have to post your primary number.
Thankfully I did the research first. I answered one no way Jose and he sent me a picture of his middle finger back. I deleted all those texts.
Been there, didnt do it. Instead I send them this then block their number:
First how about you
1. go out and use your superpowers for the good of mankind
2. Cure covid
3. Cure cancer
4. Save starving children
5. Bring about world peace
6. get a haircut
7. Get a honest job
I just fell for that scam to. Boy am I an idiot as well. Contacted Craigslist right away to hopefully stop it.
I had a lot of fun giving one of these spammers a false code over and over again to waste their time.
thanks. I just posted something and within a minute I got several requests. Each one sent me a request for a verification code. I did not. instead I googled the term and learned all of the above – thanks to all of you! thanks again!
I just text them back and say “Get behind me Satan” it works, they leave you alone.
Great
I just got that scam I wasn’t aware of. I figure it was legit so to the fact that a lots of times, even the browser wants to know if u r not a robot. So having that under Consideration, I fell for the scam. I hope he didn’t go to far with his/her games. I contact craigslist the same day but few hours later. Of not to late to stop this idiot!!
Did anything happen? I also just fell for this scam. I feel so stupid! I contacted craigslist within a few minutes because something didn’t feel right. I’m not sure how scared I should be!
20 minutes after my post was up I got the spam. It’s strange he’d go back and forth so many times, all for a phone number that is revocable … with some effort of course
Same thing happened to me. Good thing i did my research first. Never putting my phone # on a craiglsit posting agian.
I get the scam texts all the time. I know it is a scam so I block the number. But my cell company says I cannot block anymore numbers. So I just delete the text. Other times they ask me if I am real and need a code sent to them. It is a shame people have nothing better to do then act like circus clowns.
Amazing what lengths people will go through to scam rather than get a job. I posted a car for sale and immediately was asked for a code to verify if I was real. Good thing I said no!
Thanks for the information, I almost got scammed but I did my research
Thanks for this post, I was wondering if this was a scam and it is.
Hello Sean,
Right after posting an ad on craigslist a few minutes ago, I was contacted by someone interested in my item. They asked me to verify that I was not a bot by providing them the google voice verification code twice. I stupidly gave it to them. I just came across your article and am scared. I have contacted craigslist already and changed my gmail password. Is there anything else you would suggest I should do?
Thanks so much!
R
Hello, I am sorry to hear that. You might want to check out this post: https://botcrawl.com/google-voice-verification-code-scam/
thank you so much , I just did that . I never heard about the code scam on craigslist and just fell for it
for some reason I googled it , and found out that it is a scam . I hope I got my number back and they cant do anything