# Google Voice? Why?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 30, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546 "2021-10-30T21:50:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546/1 "2021-10-30T21:50:26Z")

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I just listed something on Facebook Marketplace. Someone wants it, but sent me a Google Voice code.

I’ve never used Google Voice and don’t remember how to sign into my Google account, which I guess I need to do. What’s the point of the prospective buyer wanting to contact me through Google Voice?

I gave her my cell number and landline number. Was that a mistake?

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**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546/2 "2021-10-30T21:57:58Z")

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Google Voice works with regular phone numbers. No one who actually wanted to contact you would send a “code.”

Did they ask you to respond by telling them what the code was? [Definitely a scam.](https://www.idtheftcenter.org/google-voice-scam-tries-to-trick-you-while-you-are-selling-items-online/)

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**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546/3 "2021-10-30T22:07:52Z")

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Yes they did ask for the number. I texted it back to them. They then texted me that my number was invalid for that code. They wanted another number so they could send a new code. I told them to just call me. Then they wanted my “family number.” I have no idea what they meant by that.

Since they said my number was invalid for the code, am I now safe? Or do I have to worry about being scammed?

(Are the stars in Scamoland, or something? I got a text today from my credit card with possible fraud. When I called them [using the number on the back of the card, naturally] it turned out that someone had charged ~$4,000 on my card at Nordstrom’s. New card coming Monday, so ho harm, no foul, but now I have to change the stuff that gets charged directly to that account, so it is a bit of a PITA.)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546/4 "2021-10-30T23:47:21Z")

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Sounds like you probably dodged a bullet. If it was me, I’d check my google account for any odd activity.

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**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\
**Post date:** [October 30, 2021, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/google-voice-why/953546/5 "2021-10-30T23:54:44Z")

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> [@Twoflower](#):
>
> Sounds like you probably dodged a bullet.

From your link, it sounds to me they’ve now set up a google voice account in her name and phone number that they can use?

ETA:

Here is some ([relatively complicated](https://support.google.com/voice/thread/2534721/someone-sent-me-a-request-for-a-verification-code-then-google-voice-sent-me-a-code-260161-i-have-not-authorized-anyone-else-on-this-account-do-i-need-to-do-anything-to-make-sure-this-email-is-secure?hl=en)) instructions from Google Support to fix things.