Greg's Corner

Why you should never give code numbers to strangers

By Greg Collier

Today, we have two scams, while having different paths of entry, they both have the same outcome. That outcome is to get you to give the scammers a brand new phone number in your name.

The first scam is very popular on Facebook Marketplace. When someone lists something for sale, they’ll get a message from a scammer posing as an interested buyer. The buyer says they want to make sure they’re not dealing with a scammer, so they’ll ask for the seller’s phone number.

The seller will receive a text message on their phone containing a six-digit verification code. The scammer will then try to convince the seller to share that code. But in reality, what these scammers are up to is creating their own Google Voice account linked to the seller’s number. Once they have that Google Voice number, they can carry out more scams, and the trail leads back to the seller instead of the scammer.

Again, the second scam is similar but more distressing. In this version of the scam, the scammers will look for missing pet notices, either on social media or posted around town. The scammers will call the number listed and claim to have the lost pet from the notice. This time, the scammer will again have a code sent to the lost pet’s owner, and then the scammer will ask for the code to supposedly verify the owner’s identity. Instead, they’ll use that code to open a Google Voice account using the pet owner’s phone number.

It’s crucial to never share online authorization codes with strangers who call you. These codes often provide access to your accounts and sensitive information. Scammers may pretend to be someone trustworthy, but giving them these codes can lead to identity theft, financial loss, and other security breaches. Always verify the identity of the caller independently and refrain from sharing any sensitive information, especially authorization codes, to protect yourself from fraud and cyberattacks.