untrappable

Google Voice scam: never send that verification code

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 21, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. Anyone who asks you to read back a verification code is stealing the account it unlocks — a real buyer never needs a code from your phone.

Text Message · Today 11:42 AM
from +1 (929) 555-0117
Hi, I'm interested in the dresser you listed. Sorry to be careful but there are so many fake listings on here. I just had Google send a 6-digit verification code to your number — text it back so I know you're a real person, then I'll come pick it up today, cash.
The Text message, as received

Other versions you might get: The same ask dressed as a rental applicant, a “found your lost pet” caller, or a dating-app match — anyone who says a code sent to your phone will “verify” you. Some versions use codes for your email, bank, or WhatsApp instead of Google Voice; the ask is always the giveaway.

What to do right now

  1. Don't send the code — and stop replying. There is no legitimate version of this request, from any buyer, renter, or match.
  2. If you already shared it, reclaim your number: follow Google's steps to reclaim your Google Voice number — it takes a few minutes and cuts the scammer off.
  3. Report it. Forward the text thread to 7726 (SPAM), report the profile to the marketplace you met on, and file at [reportfraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov).
  4. Watch for identity misuse. If the scammer gathered more of your details, check your accounts, and if anything was opened in your name, start a recovery plan at identitytheft.gov.

How to make sure it never bites you

You were targeted because your listing put your number where scammers harvest them. Keep selling — just keep chat inside the marketplace's messenger, and lock down what a stranger can learn from your number — see how to protect your identity.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

You got this because your details are on lists that get bought, sold, and leaked. You can't unspill that, but you can make it useless to a scammer. Start with the free steps — they do most of the work.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

If you'd rather have it watched for you, an identity-protection service monitors your accounts, SSN, and the dark web, warns you the moment something new appears, and helps you recover if someone gets through.

See identity protection →

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Frequently asked

What is the Google Voice verification code scam?
It's an account-takeover scam aimed at people selling online or posting about lost pets. The “buyer” secretly starts creating a Google Voice number linked to your phone number, Google texts you the verification code, and they ask you to send it over to “prove you're a real person.” Hand over the code and they complete the setup — a working phone number tied to you, in their hands. The FTC documented the pattern in a consumer alert.
What can a scammer actually do with my Google Voice number?
Two things, per the FTC: run scams on other people through a number that traces back to you instead of them, and — if they've collected enough of your other details — impersonate you to access your accounts or open new ones in your name. The victims they call next see a normal U.S. number; the trail leads to you. That's why reclaiming the number quickly matters.
I gave someone the code — how do I fix it?
Reclaim your number now — it only takes a few minutes. Google publishes the exact steps at support.google.com/voice/answer/159519: essentially, you set up Google Voice with your own number again, which unlinks it from the scammer's account. Then report the scam at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and if you shared other personal details, monitor your accounts and use identitytheft.gov if anything turns up.
Is it ever safe to share a verification code with a buyer?
No — never, with anyone, for any reason. The FTC's rule is absolute: don't share a verification code with someone you didn't contact first, no matter the story. Codes exist to prove that the person holding your phone is you; a real buyer, landlord, or pet-finder has no possible use for one. The request itself is a 100%-reliable scam signal — rare in scam-spotting, but this one has no false positives.
How do I sell online without getting hit by this scam?
Keep the whole conversation inside the marketplace's own messaging (Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, Craigslist email relay) instead of moving to your personal number, and be wary of buyers whose first move is “verifying” you. Real buyers ask about the item, the price, and pickup. Anyone steering toward codes, links, or overpayment is following a script — see also our Facebook Marketplace scam breakdown.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.