Phone scams · 3 min read

The Google Voice verification code scam

Short answer

A "buyer" on Marketplace or Craigslist, or a "match", asks you to read back a six-digit code to prove you are real. That code lets them set up a Google Voice number linked to your phone, which they then use for other scams. Never share a verification code with anyone who contacts you.

How it works

The FTC explains that if you give a scammer your verification code, they can create a Google Voice number linked to your real number; the number can then be used to scam others, and it traces back to you (FTC, Oct 2021). The same trick is used to take over accounts with any one-time code (FTC, Mar 2024).

Look up the number that contacted you

Carrier, line type and location are free. Private: nobody is notified.

If you already shared it

  1. Follow Google's steps to reclaim your number in Google Voice.
  2. Change passwords and turn on two-factor authentication with an authenticator app.
  3. Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Questions

Is it ever safe to share a verification code?

Only with the service you are logging in to, when you started the login yourself. Never read a code to a person who contacted you.

Who is behind that number?

Search a name, phone number or email to see public profiles and records.

Sources

Keep reading

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Published 2026-10-28 by the TrueSearch Safety Team. General information, not legal advice. In an emergency call 911.

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