The Better Business Bureau is warning of a new scam making the rounds that sees the victim’s phone number get hijacked.

The scam involves the use of online buy and sell groups, such as Facebook Marketplace.

Sellers are contacted buy potential buyers who claim to be very interested in an item, but want to prove that the seller is legitimate first.

The scammer then asks for the person’s phone number so they can text a verification code to them. The victim is then instructed to reply with the six digit verification code back on the platform.

The BBB says what is really happening is the scammer is setting up a Google Voice number linked to the victim’s phone number, and sending the verification code allows the scammer to complete account setup.

The scammer can then use that number to conceal their identity, or steal the identity of the victim.

To avoid such scams, the BBB says to guard personal information such as phone numbers – and to know who your are speaking with before sharing it, to watch out for red flags such as being offered deals that are too good to be true and trying to pressure someone into a quick deal, and to understand and stick to marketplace guidelines.