Virtual numbers in ads. Protection from scammers or help for resellers?
The largest car sales website has added a function to replace real numbers with virtual ones. But not everyone is happy with this possibility. Let's look at the pros and cons of such services.
Starting July 7, the "Number Protection" function appeared on av.by.
It allows the use of a virtual (substitute) number instead of a real one when placing an ad. By default, this function is enabled, but if desired, the seller can disable it with one click.
If this is not done, then instead of your number, a virtual number will be displayed in the ad, which will also change once a day.
This, by the way, is not a novelty for av.by; the largest Lithuanian platform for selling cars, spare parts, and other equipment — autoplius.lt — uses a similar scheme with virtual numbers.
But for Belarus, av.by became the first classifieds site with such an interface.
Why virtual numbers in sales ads?
The main feature is to protect sellers from calls from scammers who might call you via a messenger, as well as a filter against spam SMS, since messages cannot be sent to a virtual (substitute) number. Therefore, it is primarily protection from annoying SMS messages that bothersome car buyers start sending immediately after an ad appears.
However, whether they will instead become annoying with calls remains to be seen.
The substitute number also protects your real number from falling into various databases that can later be sold, leading to annoying calls asking you to buy or visit something, or simply from scammers.
Virtual phone numbers: how much do security and anonymity cost?
As for additional costs, there will be none for either the seller who placed the ad or the potential buyer.
The buyer will reach the seller via a virtual number without additional costs.
At the same time, the seller will see the buyer's real phone number, so they can easily call them back if they miss a call. The seller can also call back so that the client sees their real number, to contact them later via a messenger. For example, to send additional photos/videos or simply to have a video call.
Will there be drawbacks?
Yes, if you are selling a car and will be abroad for some time, without roaming, a potential buyer will not be able to reach you, and messengers will not help them, because there is no real number in the ad.
Therefore, if it's important for you to be contacted via messenger, then using a virtual number is not for you. You need to disable this function when placing the ad.
Also, some users complain that this classifieds site has made life easier for resellers. They argue that previously it was possible to check the seller's number via a search engine or a special Telegram bot and see how many and what cars were sold from that number.
Now, if the seller can hide behind a virtual number, such verification methods will no longer work.
In addition, a drawback can be that a potential buyer also loses the ability to contact the seller via messenger. For this, they will only have internal site correspondence, which is not very convenient.
Nevertheless, regarding the identification of resellers, such an opportunity remains for the buyer. Av.by itself previously introduced so-called Premium accounts, whose owners, among other things, gain the ability to check the seller's history. That is, it's still possible to find out how many cars this seller had for sale before.
But a premium account is not free. A monthly subscription costs 250 rubles.
Can one hide on other platforms?
As for other popular platforms, Kufar, ABW, and Onliner (at least for now) only offer to completely hide the number. In such a case, all communication goes through internal site messaging, which is not very convenient.
However, if someone wants to use a virtual number instead of a real one when placing an ad, there is still an opportunity to remain relatively anonymous.
Belarusians can use the "Virtual Number" service from "Beltelecom". The service is paid, and additionally, this number will look like a city number, not a mobile one, although calls will be redirected to your mobile.
Mobile operators in Belarus do not provide such services to individuals.
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