Online Scams! Google Voice!

[Texicaster]

¡Bueno!™

So yesterday I was selling a Strymon blueSky on CL (here to BTW! ). A guy contacted me and seemed to know the pedal and expressed proper interest and we were arranging a meet and he asked if he could send me a 6 digit code so he'd know if I was legit. I was distracted and when he sent it on my iPhone lock screen only the 6 numbers appeared which I sent to him. Then I thought and read the entire message. It said "don't share this number with anyone else" which still didn't raise a red flag sort of in my not finished coffee head meant "only share with this dude". Then a figured it out.

And the answer is how Google facilitates scams with Google Voice. What happens is you can go to GV and set up an account. You can chose ANY phone number you want! Mine yours the kid down the street etc. 6 digit code GIVES you that phone number. The 6 digit number is sent to that number and if you can trick someone out of it you "own" it! That's how we get all these phone scams. They harvest phone numbers this way! I'm sure these scammers get some $$ for each number they reel in. So they see an online ad with a phone number and get you to send them the code and own it on GV!

Here's the bad part. There's no way to get your phone number back from GV unless you have another phone number. I don't know anyone with more than one number; me included. GV has NO WAY for you to report and stop a highjacked number! Only solution they outline is to use your second number to reclaim your other one!

I finally found a friend who let me use her number and sent me a code generated for hers and reclaimed mine!

Perhaps if you have set up GV previously you can get your number back.

SO to protect yourself I strongly suggest getting a GV account and claiming your phone number even if you have no intention of ever using it. Add two or more if you can! Family member, business etc. If you can't claim it, it's already highjacked!

It's unconscionable google allows this to proceed and has no mechanism to remedy. I actually went on the GV forum and asked how to get your number back if you have no second number. GV removed my post!!!! They sent me a link to a "solution" that requires two or more phone numbers to reclaim yours! Google may very well be the ones profiting from this scam!! The idea they know the issue and moderate their forum to remove concerns or objections! The fact their 6 digit message can show up on lock screen without a firm warning another clue to google being complicit in this scam! They need to always have the clear warning on top so you read the warning before the code....

Careful out there!

Finish your coffee before going online!!!

 

[Phrygian77]

To transfer a number, I'm pretty sure you have to get a pin from your provider. I don't think you can get that through an SMS exchange.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

I would not respond to anyone who asked me to send them a secret code, PIN, password, etc. I do not need to sell a pedal that badly.

 

[Telekarster]

I had a strange call the other day, and not sure if it's somehow related to GV or not, but the person called and left a voice mail stating that they were interested in buying my house. Here's the thing, I get TONS of such calls so I'm very familiar with them, but this one was different in that it didn't sound like the typical BS scammer. It really did sound like an honest person, looking to move into the area, and was just hoping he'd find someone willing to sell "because I'm having such a hard time of finding a home in your area to buy etc. etc." was their message. Of course, I looked up the number they called from - SCAM! In fact the persons name wasn't even real and according to others on the net, they change their alias with each call. So... yeah... be careful out there and doublecheck everything you can, and certainly trust no calls from people you don't know

 

[DanglingNutslots]

My iPhone is setup so that calls from unknown numbers or numbers not in my contact list go straight to voicemail. I don't even hear it ring.

Thanks for the heads-up on the GV scam. Check your financial records carefully. Once they have your phone number ported to them, two-factor authentication (which I hate) can allow them access to your bank accounts and other stuff like gMail, Google Drive, etc.

 

[Wound_Up]

¡Bueno!™

So yesterday I was selling a Strymon blueSky on CL (here to BTW! ). A guy contacted me and seemed to know the pedal and expressed proper interest and we were arranging a meet and he asked if he could send me a 6 digit code so he'd know if I was legit. I was distracted and when he sent it on my iPhone lock screen only the 6 numbers appeared which I sent to him. Then I thought and read the entire message. It said "don't share this number with anyone else" which still didn't raise a red flag sort of in my not finished coffee head meant "only share with this dude". Then a figured it out.

And the answer is how Google facilitates scams with Google Voice. What happens is you can go to GV and set up an account. You can chose ANY phone number you want! Mine yours the kid down the street etc. 6 digit code GIVES you that phone number. The 6 digit number is sent to that number and if you can trick someone out of it you "own" it! That's how we get all these phone scams. They harvest phone numbers this way! I'm sure these scammers get some $$ for each number they reel in. So they see an online ad with a phone number and get you to send them the code and own it on GV!

Here's the bad part. There's no way to get your phone number back from GV unless you have another phone number. I don't know anyone with more than one number; me included. GV has NO WAY for you to report and stop a highjacked number! Only solution they outline is to use your second number to reclaim your other one!

I finally found a friend who let me use her number and sent me a code generated for hers and reclaimed mine!

Perhaps if you have set up GV previously you can get your number back.

SO to protect yourself I strongly suggest getting a GV account and claiming your phone number even if you have no intention of ever using it. Add two or more if you can! Family member, business etc. If you can't claim it, it's already highjacked!

It's unconscionable google allows this to proceed and has no mechanism to remedy. I actually went on the GV forum and asked how to get your number back if you have no second number. GV removed my post!!!! They sent me a link to a "solution" that requires two or more phone numbers to reclaim yours! Google may very well be the ones profiting from this scam!! The idea they know the issue and moderate their forum to remove concerns or objections! The fact their 6 digit message can show up on lock screen without a firm warning another clue to google being complicit in this scam! They need to always have the clear warning on top so you read the warning before the code....

Careful out there!

Finish your coffee before going online!!!

Sorry no you can't just, choose any number you want and you get it. You pick an area code and they give you a list of numbers to choose from.

Have you ever set up a Google voice? I have and it WAS NOT like that. Unless it's changed very recently and I still don't see them letting people pick any number they want.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Wound, but a GoogleVoice number can be taken over with the scam...which could theoretically allow access to things one would not want exposed to others, such as bank accounts. It's not about the actual number; it's the account which is often tied into one's cell number which is often used for 2FA for financial things. Etc.

 

[Texicaster]

Sorry no you can't just, choose any number you want and you get it. You pick an area code and they give you a list of numbers to choose from.

Have you ever set up a Google voice? I have and it WAS NOT like that. Unless it's changed very recently and I still don't see them letting people pick any number they want.

You contradict yourself. You say you can’t but then say you can within an area code.

YES YOU CAN!

You can pick any area code you want then any number on a list! I got out of it by picking a friends number so I could get an account to then claim my own. They told me the code and I owned their phone number on GV!

All you need is the 6 digit code they send to that number. That’s how the scam works! Plus GV warning is not clear enough! It needs to explain the implications of sharing the number. In my case the thief seemed cool. The warning of “don’t share with any else” meant share with him only in my coffee starved head!

If you don’t already have a GV account there’s no way to reclaim your number without a second number! Your number is gone from the list of available numbers. I don’t see a limit of how many numbers you can get either.

Easiest scam brought to you by Google!

 

[Texicaster]

Wound, but a GoogleVoice number can be taken over with the scam...which could theoretically allow access to things one would not want exposed to others, such as bank accounts. It's not about the actual number; it's the account which is often tied into one's cell number which is often used for 2FA for financial things. Etc.

I don’t think it opens you to all that. Perhaps if they had a bunch of your data already and could connect it for confirmation.

I’m sure this scam is about harvesting numbers for auto warranty Marriott vacation et al scams.

Not sure you can get a text via GV which is how most of my accounts are verified