Why Does Craigslist Ask For Phone Verification
How to Pass the Craigslist Phone Verification | Techwalla
To prevent users from posting spam or ads that violate the platform’s terms of service, Craigslist requires its members to verify their phone number before posting certain types of ads. You can pass the Craigslist phone verification by receiving a text message or an automated voice call on your phone. After creating a new ad and adding images to it, Craigslist may display a phone verification
Craigslist requires you to have an American or Canadian phone number to perform the phone verification process.
You cannot use Skype numbers — and some numbers similarly supplied by any other voice-over-IP application — to pass the Craigslist phone verification process.
Step 1
Enter your Phone Number and select whether you want to receive a Text Message or an Automated Phone Call before clicking Send Verification Code. Wait for Craigslist to send you an SMS or call you.
Phone verification only applies to ads posted on the American and Canadian Craigslist regional sites.
Image Credit: Image courtesy of Craigslist
Tip You can verify a landline number by selecting V**ia Voice** as the verification method.
Step 2
Enter the code you received in a text message or voice call and click Submit Verification Code to finish verifying your phone number.
Craigslist.
Tip
Click the Check Call Status button if it has been at least five minutes since you submitted your phone number and you still have not received a phone call or message from Craigslist.
Select Try Again to submit an alternate phone number or request a new call or SMS on the same number. You can try a new phone number every five minutes, with a maximum of three distinct numbers and three calls or text messages per account every 12 hours.
Craigslist Locks Down Site With Phone Verification
Craigslist has long had problems with spam. The one feature that has made the site a success, the ease at which one can post, has become a hindrance as spammers and law breakers have taken over. In early March Craigslist began what is now turning out to be an incredibly effective anti-spam campaign by using phone verification on posts. In an initial effort to rid their “erotic services” section of prostitution and pornography ads, Craigslist has now slowly expanded the system to other service categories within the site.
The system is simple and, thus far, largely unavoidable. When a user attempts to make a post, Craigslist asks for verification with a viable phone number. It then automatically calls the number and issues a verification code which must be re-entered for the post to go live. If the post gets flagged, the phone number is blacklisted, preventing any further posts from that number. The key to this is that, while email addresses are cheap and disposable, phone numbers are not.
This could be a nightmare for Craiglist advertisers as the service expands, and they have yet to find a way to circumvent it. One popular idea has been cheap VoIP numbers, but VoIP services usually charge a fee of a couple dollars after the third or fourth number. This quickly adds up when posting hundreds of advertisements. The only affordable solution thus far has been using public pay phones.
The issue has been around forever on the web, and most solutions involve either moderation within the company, or user and community moderation (which is the model Craigslist adopted). There is a careful balance in trying to keep content clean, but at the same time not taking away the main attraction of the site. Using a phone number is just a short-cut way to establishing some form of identifier token, rather than using email addresses.
Though this should drastically limit spamming for Craiglist, the service may make honest posters think twice if they must publicly display their phone number. It also could prove to be a nuisance to honest users who are illegitimately flagged. In the end, the service gives direct results, and should keep Craigslist largely spam free for now, although at a slight cost to user convenience.
How to Make Your Own PVA Craigslist Accounts – Small Business – Chron …
Depending on the category you use, Craigslist may require phone verification before you can place an ad. You enter a phone number and Craigslist sends you a verification code to that number. If you place many ads on Craigslist, you can bypass this process by creating a free phone verified account, or PVA, so that once you verify your phone number the first time, you won’t have to go through the process again. Each account requires an email address and a phone number. You can’t use the same phone number for different accounts. Go to and click “Sign Up for an Account” at the bottom of the page. Enter an email address and type the displayed verification code in the text field. Craigslist sends an email to you. Open the email from Craigslist and click the link in the message. A new browser window opens. Type a password in the two “Password” fields on the Web page. Click “Submit Password and Log In. ” Navigate to a category that requires phone verification, such as the “Services” category. Create a new ad, then click “Continue. ” A new page appears asking for phone verification. Type your phone number in the “Phone Number” field. Select “Via Voice” or “Via Text Message/SMS. ” Click “Send the Code! ” A new page appears with a text field for a verification code. A five-digit verification code is sent to your phone almost immediately. Type the code in the text field and click “Submit Verification Code. ” Type the security code that appears on the page in the text field to complete your ad. You can now manage your ads by clicking your account name on the top right of the page, as well as place additional ads without going through the phone verification process again. References Writer Bio A published author and professional speaker, David Weedmark has advised businesses and governments on technology, media and marketing for more than 20 years. He has taught computer science at Algonquin College, has started three successful businesses, and has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines throughout Canada and the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions about why does craigslist ask for phone verification
How do I get around Craigslist phone verification?
You enter a phone number and Craigslist sends you a verification code to that number. If you place many ads on Craigslist, you can bypass this process by creating a free phone verified account, or PVA, so that once you verify your phone number the first time, you won’t have to go through the process again.
Does Craigslist require a verification code?
Craigslist verifies the phone number by sending a text message to your cellphone or placing a call to your land line. You must enter the verification code you receive to verify your account and continue posting your ad.
What can a Craigslist scammer do with my phone number?
This scam, also known as port-out or SIM splitting fraud, allows criminals to hijack your cellphone number. Once they have your number, the bad guys can clean out your financial accounts, confiscate your email, delete your data and take over your social media profiles.Nov 2, 2019
