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I need to verify my Craiglist account

Anything considered a "hustle" and not necessarily a CENTS-based Fastlane

SheikhNaveed

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I need to verify Craigslist using a US number that can accept sms. I checked multiple voip services and nothing works. Skype number doesn't accept sms. What options do I have?
 
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JordanS

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textverified and truverifi are non voip sms solutions. They are verizon/sprint numbers
 

George Appiah

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Skype number doesn't accept sms.

Where are you getting this information from?

This official Microsoft/Skype FAQ says otherwise:


textverified and truverifi are non voip sms solutions. They are verizon/sprint numbers

These kind of services are awesome for low-security accounts you wouldn't mind losing or in which you're not going to have ANY sensitive personal data.

For anything serious, I'll think twice about the security implications of using these shared numbers.

I've used my CallCentric, Twilio, BulkVS and even Google Voice numbers to verify Craigslist accounts in the past for myself and clients. Of these, if you're not in the geeky camp, Callcentric will be the easiest to setup. (Craigslist specifically says "some VoIP numbers" are not supported, not ALL VOIP numbers)

I also just created a brand new account (after reading your post) and I was able to post an ad in the "general community" category without any phone verification. The caveat here is I used a private VPN server I run myself (not HideMyBehind or similar public VPN service) and a private domain email address (not a free Hotyahgoo pr similar email address).
 
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George Appiah

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SheikhNaveed

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Where are you getting this information from?

This official Microsoft/Skype FAQ says otherwise:

Skype says:
Set up your Caller ID to use your Skype Number.

That Caller ID isn't available for my country. I'm from Pakistan.
28990
 
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SheikhNaveed

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textverified and truverifi are non voip sms solutions.

Textverified requires you to have a 'USA based IP Address'
28992
For USA based IP, I've tried BrowecVPN, HolaVPN, Cryptostorm.io, TouchVPN and nothing works. A paid VPN or VPS need to be setup to use that service.
 

George Appiah

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Skype says:
Set up your Caller ID to use your Skype Number.

That Caller ID isn't available for my country. I'm from Pakistan.
View attachment 28990

First, being unable to set up caller ID to verify your account, though a condition for getting Skype Number and SMS to work, is not quite the same as "Skype Number doesn't accept SMS".

Secondly, I think you're misinterpreting the information on the Skype page you quoted. The message you quoted says "Caller identification using your Skype Number is available in..."

Note the emphasis on Skype Number.

It's using Skype Number as your Caller ID that is only available for the few countries listed, but you can verify and use your own local Pakistani mobile number as your Skype Caller ID, whether or not you have a Skype Number. Except for technical reasons, from a policy point of view, the only countries where this is not possible are China, Hong Kong, Japan and Mexico.

Further down the same page they state:

As of December 2018, if you purchase a Skype Number and don't have Caller ID enabled, your Skype Number will be automatically set as your Caller ID for the countries that this is available in.

The "this" in ["countries this is available in"] referring to using Skype Number as your caller ID.


So, if you want to go the Skype route...

1) Use your LOCAL Pakistani mobile number to setup Skype Caller ID
2) Then Purchase the US Skype Number

You should be able to receive SMS and calls on the US number within your Skype app, or forwarded to your Pakistani number (if you've set up call/SMS forwarding).

Remember Caller ID is only for OUTGOING calls and SMS. So the only downside to being unable to use your Skype Number as the Skype Caller ID (due to your location) is that when you call or send SMS to normal telephone numbers using your Skype credit, it's your local Pakistani number that people will see, and not the US Skype number. This has nothing to do with being able/unable to RECEIVE a call or SMS to verify Craigslist or some other online account, but if this an issue for you, use some other service like CallCentric.

At least that is my interpretation, and that's exactly what I did -- and the downside I have -- to get Skype number years ago (long before the Microsoft acquisition). In case you've not seen from my profile, I'm based in one of Trump's "shit-hole" countries.
 
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George Appiah

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Thanks for these suggestions.

I'm not sure how does it affect the process.

While I'm not saying that this was a factor, it's easy to see how this could be a factor if you consider why such verification processes exist at all. I'm assuming Craigslist has this verification process for (at the very least) the following two reasons:

1) To fight automated bot signups and postings: If you were running such a bot, would you generate thousands of free Gmail accounts instantly and automatically, or would you pay about 10 bucks for every single domain and setup mail servers and what not?

2) To have an audit trail they can follow and/or pass on to law enforcement in case of fraud or some other mishappening: Again, if you wanted to push any scam stuff on Craigslist, would you use an anonymous free Gmail account, or would you rather purchase a domain and thereby leave an audit trail (via your payment processor)?

In both instances, bad actors are far more likely to use free email addresses instead of using private domains, so it's understandable why some websites may view users with private domains as lower risk and wave some vetting procedures. In fact, many websites (especially in the B2B space) do not accept free email addresses at all.
 

JordanS

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Textverified requires you to have a 'USA based IP Address'
View attachment 28992
For USA based IP, I've tried BrowecVPN, HolaVPN, Cryptostorm.io, TouchVPN and nothing works. A paid VPN or VPS need to be setup to use that service.
It doesn't require anything its just a warning that some websites might not like it if you are non USA. You can still use the text service fine if you hit continue
 

George Appiah

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Update:

I've verified cragslist using skype.

I'm glad you finally got this done!

But perhaps there's a lesson here for all of us that shouldn't be missed:

A lot of times the supposed roadblocks we encounter in our daily grind are nothing but mere shadows -- creations of our own minds and misinterpretations of the world around us.

Just imagine if @SheikhNaveed had stopped at "Skype number doesn't accept sms" or even "That Caller ID isn't available for my country" instead of reaching out for help. These conclusions, though erroneous, may have held true in his own mind and certainly would have stop him from achieving his heart's desire!

 
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