The Google Voice Verification Code Scam Explained
Quick Answer
The Google Voice scam is one of the most targeted scams currently active on online marketplaces like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp. It is quick, low-effort for scammers, and consistently effective because the request sounds innocuous.
How the Scam Works
You list something for sale online or post a personal ad. Someone contacts you expressing interest. Before proceeding, they say they want to "verify you are a real person" and ask you to share a Google verification code they are about to send to your phone.
The code arrives. You share it. They now control a Google Voice number linked to your phone.
What they do with it: Scammers use the Google Voice number to conduct further fraud, posting scam ads, impersonating you, or running phone-based scams, while remaining anonymous. Your phone number appears in the background as the anchor for their fraudulent activity.
The secondary goal: Some scammers use the same technique to access your accounts. If you share a code for a service you already use, they may be able to recover or access accounts linked to your phone number.
Why People Fall for It
The request sounds like a reasonable security measure. Verification codes are familiar from two-factor authentication. The framing, "I just want to make sure you're real before we meet", sounds like caution, not fraud.
The distinction that matters: legitimate verification codes are sent for your own login or account access. A code you receive should only be used by you. If someone else sent you a message asking you to share a code that was just sent to your phone, that is the scam.
How to Reclaim a Hijacked Google Voice Number
If this has already happened to you, you can reclaim the Google Voice number. Go to voice.google.com, sign in, and look for an option to reclaim the number linked to your phone. Google's support pages provide current step-by-step instructions as the process can change.
The Broader Pattern
The Google Voice scam is the most common variant of a broader "code sharing" scam. The same mechanics apply to:
- Cash App or Venmo account takeovers via shared verification codes
- Email account access via forwarded authentication codes
- Bank account access if the scammer has your username and only needs the SMS 2FA code
The rule is always the same: a code sent to your phone is for your use only. No legitimate person needs you to share it with them.
What to Do
If you have shared a code:
- Go to Google Voice and reclaim your number immediately
- Check accounts linked to your phone number for any unauthorised access
- Change passwords on accounts where you use SMS-based two-factor authentication
Report to:
- FTC: ReportFraud.ftc.gov, 1-877-382-4357
- The platform where you were contacted (Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc.)