Over the last few days, I have posted a few ads on Craigslist. The ads are in different For Sale categories. Today, something happened that hasn’t happened before now. When I tried to “publish” an ad, I received this notice…
Please enter a complete phone number.
Phone Verification is required before proceeding
Use the form below to receive a one-time verification code on your mobile phone or land line.
Can someone please explain this to me? Would there be any problem with giving them my home phone or cell phone number?
Thank you! The notice from Craigslist stated it was to control spam. I hope it’s not phishing. Not sure how I can post my ads without giving a phone number.
Did you receive the message on the site or in email? If it was on the site, it seems unlikely to be phishing. This page from the craigslist help says they do use phone verification, although it does say why or when they do it. I’d say it’s probably ok to enter your phone number. craigslist | about | help | phone verification.
I think Bullit’s link is describing something different. Their link describes a kind of man-in-the-middle attack where you get a text message or email asking you to reply with a 6 digit code. That doesn’t sound like what happened to you.
But did you read any of the results? The first one I see is a Google support page that describes a completely different scam whereby a scammer causes Google Voice to call or text your phone number with a 6-digit code which you foolishly give to the scammer and lets them set up a Google Voice account attached to your phone number. That’s not at all what the OP describes.
The second search result is this thread.
The third one is a digitalinformation.com page that explains why Craigslist uses phone verification and says you can’t bypass it, no scam described there.
The third is a Quora question which begins “More than 90% of the time Craigslist would ask you for phone verification code sent via sms…” and again doesn’t describe any scam.
I don’t see anything that indicates that what the OP describes is a scam.