Craigslist Telephone Verification in Craigsphone

Craigslist will sometimes ask craigsphone users to verify themselves through their telephone number when posting. This page explains why this happens and how to handle it.

What is craigslist telephone verification?

You may get a screen similar to the one below when posting to craigslist through craigsphone. The screen asks you verify yourself via telephone before continuing with the post.

Although craigslist will guide you through the verification process, the process does not work in craigsphone. We describe how to verify yourself below.

Why do I get asked for telephone verification?

Not 100% accurate but a simplification: Your carrier's IP address shows you as not being local to the craigslist city to which you are posting (for example, your may be posting to the city of San Francisco but your mobile IP address may show you as being in Florida) so craigslist asks for verification as an anti-spam technique.

How do I verify myself with craigsphone?

In short you need to go through the posting and verification process twice (yes we know this sucks). We describe the process in more detail in the paragraphs below.

(1 ) When you start the verification process you will get a form like the one shown below. Enter your telephone number and select to get notified by text.

(2) After entering your information you will be taken to a page that asks you enter your verification code, as shown in the following screenshot:

(3) Shortly afterwards you will get a text message with the verification. Unfortunately if you have SMS preview turned off, you cannot view the text message without exiting craigsphone. Exit craigsphone.

(4) Open the Messages app and get the authorization code. Make sure to memorize or write it down somewhere other than on your phone.

(5) Start craigsphone again and do the posting process over again (this is the sucky part). When prompted (again) for telephone verification continue through the process as you did before in step (1). After entering your information for verification you will be taken to a screen like the one below, warning you that the same phone number has already asked for verification. Ignore the message a proceed with the verification process.

(6) You will again be taken to a form to enter the authorization code. Enter the authorization code you memorized or wrote down in step (4).

(7) You should now be authorized.

Again we're sorry this is such an involved process and inconvenience it may cause. On the bright side, once you've done this process for your account you shouldn't have to do it again.