BEWARE! Text message scammers!

[duteman2]

I have a car listed here and also on my local Craigslist. I made the mistake of putting my cell phone number on the posting. I have not sold a car in a while so I've been out of the scammer-loop. I got an almost immediate text response from an anonymous person in Akron Ohio who would "buy the car at your price as long as I said it was running OK" and wanted personal PayPal account information. It's like a new version of the "African Prince and I need money" scam or something. This person, or bot, would not call, or take a call, nor ask or answer any questions. Anyway, I blocked the number and took my number out of my postings. Crazy world.

 

[WildChild80]

My scam came from a DSLR I was selling... didn't want but 400 or so, sent me a check for 2500 bux and wanted me to send him the remaining balance...this dude harassed me and threatened to call the cops on me...when I got the check I called the bank and they finished my sentence for me, yep it was fake, I asked him to call the cops because I wasn't going to waste my time, there's not much they can do anyway...

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[Powder Hound]

During the last week, text messages have started informing me that ALEXA has chosen me for a 'free' $120, (delivery method unknown because I didn't read that far) which is really funny since I don't use alexa - it isn't in my home.

It would be fun if you could relay the text to a state AG to pursue the perps, but I am sure they can't be bothered with such things. They're not budgeted for it.

Sigh...

PH

 

[CheapBastard]

Whenever I get these outrageous offers from a buyer I let him send me the check, they usually fedex it overnight and that ain’t cheap, when I dumped my el Camino a few years ago I had like 6 checks for it, if they want to play I’ll try to make them pay

 

[KITEWAGON]

I always use my google voice account for Craigslist. I never put my real cell phone on the web.

 

[tactdi]

Another tactic is for the scammer to be texting you about your item, and then they send you a text with a link (many times in a language other than English). They ask you click the link to confirm that you are a person. Yes, all this, after texting back and forth with you.
The link will tie your phone number to a Google voice account, allowing the scammer to activate a Google phone number for the US, and use that phone number for other scams.
Goggle "google voice verification code scam"