CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Social media can be a great place to network a solution to a problem, whether it's finding a lost pet or finding a buyer for an old piece of furniture. It's also a place to stay vigilant for scams.
A person recently posted on Facebook about a scenario in which they found themselves, and they wanted to know if it was a scam.
They recently lost their cat and had posted about it on social media. Someone reached out via text message, saying they found the cat but wanted to verify the owner's phone number, just to make sure the finder was not getting scammed.
All the finder needed was for the cat's owner to verify a code sent to their phone.
The Question
Is there a documented scam involving the target verifying a code sent to their phone?
The Sources
The Answer
Yes, there is a documented scam involving the target verifying a code sent to their phone. According to a warning from the FTC, it can be an insidious threat since it seems like simply waiting for a code, then sharing it with someone else can't hurt.
However, the agency says this is a documented scam being used in lost pet groups online and secondhand online marketplaces.
This is how it works:
The scammer sets up a Google Voice number linked to the target's phone number. Google Voice then sends a verification code to the target's phone. When the person shares that code with the scammer, they also give them the final key to having a Google Voice number tied to the target's device.
That Google Voice number can then be used to do all sorts of misdeeds, tying those actions to the target's phone number rather than the scammer's.
The FTC says those who fell for this trick can reclaim their numbers. The agency also urges reporting the incident.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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