Do NOT reply to the "text me" scammers. New implications for fraud as well.

[ittybitnot]

I have thought long and hard about posting this information. It came about as a result of selling on another venue where one gets the usual "is this still available?" messages through the same format as used by the eBay for Business social media page.

Typically in a days time I get ten or fifteen of those a day. If you respond, half the time you are ghosted so to speak. Of late, however, I have had NUMEROUS demands for my cell phone number. i.e. "I want to pick this up today, give me your cell number," The correspondents are INSISTANT to the point of being annoying. They don't want the product they want the cell number..??? So why? What is the end game? I live in the middle of nowhere. Nobody has driven out here to pick something up EVER...EVER...

Some users reported that after providing the cell number they had experienced "account takeovers" of various sorts. I kept looking.

I researched for a while and finally found the link enclosed at the bottom of the page. My first thought was OMG..THE EBAY TEXT ME SCAMMERS.

Take it for what you will, but I will advise NEVER to give your cell phone number to anyone you don't know. Do not reply to the "text me" scammers here or anywhere. I do not do banking or run my website on phone apps. Be careful out there.

https://www.idstrong.com/sentinel/your-phone-number-is-out-there-what-can-someone-do-with-your-phone...

Itty
eBay Dinosaur

[gwzcomps]

Signing up for a free Google Voice number comes in handy if you are trying to protect your primary number.  Generally speaking it isn't too hard to tie people to phone numbers though.

[ittybitnot]

it isn't too hard to tie people to phone numbers though.

@gwzcomps 

Especially if you hand them over. 

[slippinjimmy]

hey don't want the product they want the cell number..??? So why? What is the end game?

Of course they want the product, they need you phone number so they can send you a fake message that you made a sale and have been paid.

Or they want you to click a link in the message that will take you to a fake eBay log-in page where they will scoop your password which will lead to havoc with your account.

[ittybitnot]

Of course they want the product, they need you phone number so they can send you a fake message that you made a sale and have been paid.

@slippinjimmy 

For the eBay text me scammers, that would be correct.  

For items on Marketplace or even eBay (many of which are Pick up posts) , not so much.  You give your cell number and you don't hear anything back.....  from the person that wants to PICK UP NOW< GIVE ME YOUR CELL NUMBER until ... you start getting your accounts hijacked that had  related apps on your phone..

We have had numerous sellers here that actually texted back the "text me scammers" even though they eventually  didn't fall for the typical eBay scam related to that.  We always told those same sellers not to worry, they can't do anything with your phone number... but I think that may not be totally true.