Bank requires OTP

[longball53098]

I am sure I am not alone in this dilemma.  I have at least two banks in the USA that require a US cell phone number set up and verified to receive the OTP (One-time Password) security features to use on-line banking functions. I do not have a US cell number with any provider. I do maintain a Skype number in the US for people to contact me. I have tried using this number for the banks and it will not work. I have tried a couple of other "free" cell numbers for text messages but these are labeled as "virtual" cell numbers and are not a provider like T-Mobile or AT&T so the banks will not verify them either.

 

So the questions to the general expat population that have bank accounts or other online sites that require a OTP in the US what do you do to overcome not having a US cell number?

[kokesaat]

Vanguard provides otp via email.  Might want to see if your bank offers that option

[Peterw42]

Have the OTP sent to a friends mobile in the US, they can send it on to you.. Find a US friend in Thailand that has a US mobile on roaming, have the OTP sent to that phone. Longer term maybe just keep a US sim going on roaming, plus you have a working phone when you step off the plane for home visits.

[GinBoy2]

I went through this dilemma with BoA. 

 

None of the virtual services will work, primarily hangouts which is one of the few that actually do SMS.

 

I had two solutions.

 

Firstly I got a BoA Safepass, which gives code generated passcode.

 

Then I also used a Cricket prepaid phone with enabled WiFi calling. 

 

Both were bullet proof, but unless you are a BoA customer, or a bank that offers something similar, go for a WiFi calling option.

 

Trying to hide your location with banks is getting harder and harder

[marcusarelus]

2nd line

[ThaiBunny]

10 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Firstly I got a BoA Safepass, which gives code generated passcode.

As I recall you have to get this from BoA in the US itself - they won't mail it to you?

[GinBoy2]

12 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

As I recall you have to get this from BoA in the US itself - they won't mail it to you?

That's not quite true. I had it sent to my PMB, and forwarded on to me, and I it ordered it online

[ThaiBunny]

12 minutes ago, GinBoy2 said:

Trying to hide your location with banks is getting harder and harder

I'm not sure that's the issue, it's more security.  Krungsri will SMS a OTP to your registered mobile number, wherever in the world that might be. A friend has his Australian mobile registered with them and says he's never had a problem

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Have the OTP sent to a friends mobile in the US, they can send it on to you.. Find a US friend in Thailand that has a US mobile on roaming, have the OTP sent to that phone. Longer term maybe just keep a US sim going on roaming, plus you have a working phone when you step off the plane for home visits.

 

You don't need to keep the US SIM on and set to roaming all the time. Just activate it when you know you need to receive an OTP.

 

But of course need to keep the account paid up.

[Peterw42]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

You don't need to keep the US SIM on and set to roaming all the time. Just activate it when you know you need to receive an OTP.

 

But of course need to keep the account paid up.

Yes thats right, I keep an Australian sim going for $5 a month. Lots of the newer phones are dual sim nowadays, the home sim can be the 2nd sim in your phone, sitting there until you need it.

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes thats right, I keep an Australian sim going for $5 a month. Lots of the newer phones are dual sim nowadays, the home sim can be the 2nd sim in your phone, sitting there until you need it.

I do same with UK sim, just deactivate it in the device until it's needed.

[ThaiBunny]

5 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Yes thats right, I keep an Australian sim going for $5 a month

I'm not sure (and I hope someone will correct me) that there's a US SIM plan that that's inexpensive

[NCC1701A]

2 hours ago, longball53098 said:

So the questions to the general expat population that have bank accounts or other online sites that require a OTP in the US what do you do to overcome not having a US cell number?

I keep a separate cellphone with my USA phone number SIM card for the sole purpose of receiving the OTP.

It is locked  in a big safe and never comes out until I do my banking. Then powered down. 

I roam with T-Mobile on AIS here in Hua Hin. Takes about one minute to lock on to the network after power up.

 

My USA provider is T-Mobile with the "Pay as You Go" plan and the cost $3 per month TOTAL. I can add money to my T-Mobile account on their website.

 

It is not just banks so you had better get a USA cellphone number.

 

and you will not be able to change your phone number online with SOME banks, only in person in the branch.

 

[racyrick]

Have the same issue. You can do what they said above or you can get a US phone number from toll free forwarding for $5 a month. You can pick the US phone number you want. They do not have sms service to your phone however, if your bank gives you an option to send the otp code as a voice message instead of an sms message, you're good to go.

[longball53098]

19 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

I keep a separate cellphone with my USA phone number SIM card for the sole purpose of receiving the OTP.

It is locked  in a big safe and never comes out until I do my banking. Then powered down. 

I roam with T-Mobile on AIS here in Hua Hin. Takes about one minute to lock on to the network after power up.

 

My USA provider is T-Mobile with the "Pay as You Go" plan and the cost $3 per month TOTAL. I can add money to my T-Mobile account on their website.

 

It is not just banks so you had better get a USA cellphone number.

 

and you will not be able to change your phone number online with SOME banks, only in person in the branch.

 

Hey Thanks. Did you have to do anything extra to add the international roaming? I read on one provider these cheap prepay plans are for domestic use only

[Pib]

On 4/11/2019 at 11:41 AM, NCC1701A said:

I keep a separate cellphone with my USA phone number SIM card for the sole purpose of receiving the OTP.

It is locked  in a big safe and never comes out until I do my banking. Then powered down. 

I roam with T-Mobile on AIS here in Hua Hin. Takes about one minute to lock on to the network after power up.

 

My USA provider is T-Mobile with the "Pay as You Go" plan and the cost $3 per month TOTAL. I can add money to my T-Mobile account on their website.

 

It is not just banks so you had better get a USA cellphone number.

 

and you will not be able to change your phone number online with SOME banks, only in person in the branch.

 

Me do same....have a T-mobile Pay As You go SIM....it also lives it's life in another phone that I only turn on when needed.   I now have a dual SIM phone and need to move it to that phone....but I guess I'm too lazy to do that.  However, so far I have not been required to use it for any of my accounts as my Google Voice numbers have worked fine.  

 

And I'm not sure that the T-mobile $3 SIM will work to receive OTP from "all" banks as the T-Mobile SIM is considered a 'pre-paid" SIM and does not have the same level of phone system registration (i.e.., ID of person and their true address) as a "post-paid" SIM that cost a lot more per month.  Yes, banks and such can code their system not to send to pre-paid numbers....or they can code them to only allow the code to travel on US cell networks and not foreign networks...so the code doesn't end up leaving the US.   

 

Don't quote me but up until a few years ago I had a Bank of America bank account on life support (i.e., keeping the minimum amount in it)...it was a bank acct I used a lot when still living in the US but for an expat it's not really a good deal considering their debit card has a foreign transaction fee and they even charge you to do an ACH transfer. 

 

Anyway, I had been using their SafePass card for years whenever a transaction required a security code but one day the SafePass card would work....well, it still gave me a code whenever using it but the code would not be accepted by BOA.  Got BOA on the phone talked the issue....the BOA rep said let's use your mobile phone number....we actually tried several numbers....my Google Voice number would not work nor would the T-mobile number....code would not be received. 

 

So, they wanted to send me a new SafePass card (they charge $20 for a new card) and they will not mail outside the US....will not even mail to an APO military address.  I actually got my first by having it mailed to a relative in the US who remailed it to.  So, I just gave-up on BOA...it was the last straw in finally getting me to cancel the account that I had been meaning to do for years since I had moved to other, more-better banks (IMO).  Now maybe the T-mobile number works with BOA now, but it didn't several years when I tried to use it.

 

[longball53098]

11 hours ago, Pib said:

Me do same....have a T-mobile Pay As You go SIM....it also lives it's life in another phone that I only turn on when needed.   I now have a dual SIM phone and need to move it to that phone....but I guess I'm too lazy to do that.  However, so far I have not been required to use it for any of my accounts as my Google Voice numbers have worked fine.  

 

And I'm not sure that the T-mobile $3 SIM will work to receive OTP from "all" banks as the T-Mobile SIM is considered a 'pre-paid" SIM and does not have the same level of phone system registration (i.e.., ID of person and their true address) as a "post-paid" SIM that cost a lot more per month.  Yes, banks and such can code their system not to send to pre-paid numbers....or they can code them to only allow the code to travel on US cell networks and not foreign networks...so the code doesn't end up leaving the US.   

 

Don't quote me but up until a few years ago I had a Bank of America bank account on life support (i.e., keeping the minimum amount in it)...it was a bank acct I used a lot when still living in the US but for an expat it's not really a good deal considering their debit card has a foreign transaction fee and they even charge you to do an ACH transfer. 

 

Anyway, I had been using their SafePass card for years whenever a transaction required a security code but one day the SafePass card would work....well, it still gave me a code whenever using it but the code would not be accepted by BOA.  Got BOA on the phone talked the issue....the BOA rep said let's use your mobile phone number....we actually tried several numbers....my Google Voice number would not work nor would the T-mobile number....code would not be received. 

 

So, they wanted to send me a new SafePass card (they charge $20 for a new card) and they will not mail outside the US....will not even mail to an APO military address.  I actually got my first by having it mailed to a relative in the US who remailed it to.  So, I just gave-up on BOA...it was the last straw in finally getting me to cancel the account that I had been meaning to do for years since I had moved to other, more-better banks (IMO).  Now maybe the T-mobile number works with BOA now, but it didn't several years when I tried to use it.

 

Thanks for more info here. Can you recall when you got the T Mobile sim did they have to do any special activating to allow using this number internationally? Especially for text messages? Is the number registered to you or a friend. I assume with security in the US now someone has to present ID when buying/activating a sim.?

[Pib]

On 4/12/2019 at 7:36 AM, longball53098 said:

Hey Thanks. Did you have to do anything extra to add the international roaming? I read on one provider these cheap prepay plans are for domestic use only

I registered in mid 2016 with my name but a relative's US address which I use for my US address sometimes.  As mentioned earlier they will only accept US addresses (APO addresses is not acceptable). When the relative rec'd the SIM the relative remailed it to me here in Thailand.  Once received you insert the SIM and they give you a 1800 type number to call to activate the SIM...or you can activate via computer browser/online.   Very simple activation process.  Remember, this is a pre-paid SIM which has much less stringent registration requirements as compared to a post-paid number.

 

Now, the costs:

- $3 per month  

   -- That $3 includes 30 min talk time and/or 30 texts "within the US.  An outgoing/incoming call is 10 cents and 10 cents.  These costs are deducted from the $3.  So, say you made/received five 1 minute calls and made/received 3 texts....each one of those cost 10 cents for a total of 80 cents which is deducted from the $3 allotment as they occur.   If you don't use the entire $3 then nothing is rolled over....you still get charged $3 per month.  Basically, you pay $3 minimum per month....no taxes/fees.

 

   -- Now charges for "outside" the US are different.  That $3 includes 30 texts at 10 cents each when receiving a text.  However to send a text it 50 cents per text.   Send/receiving comes out of the $3 monthly fee.  Now phone calls is a different story when outside the US.  When in Thailand those cost $2.39/minute to receive or make....and to the best of my understanding the call charges are extra...do not come from the $3 monthly fee....that's what I have written down in my notes when talking to T-Mobile once I got the SIM and I think that what occurred when I made one or two calls by mistake.  I dialed a number by mistake (fat fingered the phone)....immediately became aware of the mistake and hung-up....and I did it again somehow.  But just those few seconds (maybe 3 seconds max) was still enough for T-mobile to charge me $2.39 for each call that didn't even have enough time to ring once.  Once I saw I had been charged on my online account I called and sweet-talked T-mobile to reversing the charges based on my fat fingers accidentally hitting dial on a number.   I counseled my fat fingers and they haven't done it since. 

  -- For Mobile Data.  There is no mobile data with the plan....and I'm not even sure you can add a X-day pass for some many GigaBytes of data.  From looking at the Tmobile site it indicates you can, but I think I called them once  years back and they said I couldn't add data with this particular pre-paid plan....it was almost like they had variations of the Pay As You Go Plans.  So don't quote me on this if you need data also....things may have changed about if and how to add data to the plan like for a visit to the US.  I only wanted and needed the occasional ability to send/receive a "text or call"....like a bank security code here in Thailand or maybe going back to the States for a visit to be able to make/receive a brief call and get a text or two.    Maybe someone else with the $3 Pay As You Go SIM can add more info regarding mobile data...and like I said maybe polices have changed.  

 

Personally, I find Tmobile's website to be vague in many cases and even down right deceptive in areas....lots of weasel talk IMO.  And calling one of their reps I've usually been connected to a Tmobile Call Center in Manila, P.I....and this is when I dialing their 1800 number from my US number VOIP phone.  On their website their $3 prepaid Pay As You Go Plan does "now" seem to indicate for "domestic/US" only but their fine print says occasional international use is OK.  And their site even implies/states taxes/fees will apply.  But I've never paid any taxes or fees....just the flat $3/month.   

 

Periodically when you turn your phone on that has the Tmobile SIM you will get a SMS from Tmobile which gives a brief overview of the charges you will incur based on your location on Earth.  I turned it on today just so I could get SMS and show you....Tmobile senses I'm in Thailand so it's giving me a summary of calls/text costs being made from or received to Thailand.

 

 

And a partial snapshot form my Tmobile account....see...I have prepaid X-amount.  You can set it up to all automatically refill your account with X-amount once it reaches a certain level....but I usually just logon a couple times per year and maybe add around $18 (6 months worth).  Up to you how you handle the prepay part.  As mentioned earlier, I rarely use the SIM as none of my banks absolutely require that a security code be sent in order to logon....some offer that option that I can use if desired, but I don't use it....I'm happy enough with just using my User ID and password and maybe a PIN with some.

 

[Pib]

17 hours ago, Pib said:

Me do same....have a T-mobile Pay As You go SIM....it also lives it's life in another phone that I only turn on when needed.   I now have a dual SIM phone and need to move it to that phone....but I guess I'm too lazy to do that.  However, so far I have not been required to use it for any of my accounts as my Google Voice numbers have worked fine.  

 

Well, I got a burst of energy (and curiosity) and moved the TMobile SIM from the single SIM phone it was living in which I only turned on when I wanted to use TMobile SIM to my "dual" SIM phone that I use everyday in Thailand with DTAC as my cell carrier.  And it worked.   I now had two mobile connections....my Thailand DTAC plan/SIM and my T-Mobile $3 plan/SIM which was also connecting to DTAC.  

 

For the last 6 months or so when firing-up the TMobile SIM it has always chosen DTAC for the connection....but before that it almost always chose AIS.  TMobile has agreement with multiple Thailand cell carriers such as DTAC, AIS, True, etc....maybe TMobile rotates connections around or maybe it depends on which cell carrier is putting out the strongest signal where ever you happen to be when turning on your phone....doesn't make a difference as long as the TMobile SIM makes a connection to some carrier in Thailand.

 

Ok, with both the DTAC SIM and TMobile SIM in the phone I wondered if I sent a "text" from my Google Voice number to the TMobile number would it automatically arrive/appear or would I have to switch SIM settings, etc.  Remember, I had never used dual SIMs in this phone or any phone...I be a rookie when it came to that.   But I sent the text from the GV number which is using my DTAC SIM connnection and within a few seconds it showed up in my message box along with a little icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen identifying which SIM received it....and it showed it as SIM 2 which was the TMobile SIM/number/connection.  I then checked my TMobile online account and now it said I had 29 of 30 free texts to go....where before sending that text I was at 30 of 30. 

 

But then I started wondering about "calls"....would a call coming to my TMobile SIM (even a wrong number...a person who dialed my Tmobile number by mistake or some robo call) automatically ring.  Occasionally such calls do come to my TMobile number and when the person leaves a voicemail I get an email from TMobile and phone notification saying such   I fully expect it would ring since the text came thru automatically.  And I think when most people hear their phone ringing they just press answer and say Hello.....and if I did such with it coming thru on the TMobile SIM I have just incurred $2.39 per minute.  

 

So, I wanted to do a controlled call test.  So I dialed my TMobile number from my MajicJack VOIP number and  the phone began to ring but I didn't answer....no answer, no charge.   So this test confirmed calls made to my TMobile number would automatically ring.   I checked my TMobile online account and no charge since I didn't answer.

 

I also noticed when wanting to make a call that I would dial or select from my phone book it offered me the choice to making the call using the DTAC or TMobile SIM.  Oh my gosh, press the wrong SIM choice which I would surely do sometimes or when the wife uses my phone she presses the Tmobile SIM and I'm now incurring a $2.39 per minute call.   That would hurt cost-wise.

 

But to avoid all of that drama (and cost) the second SIM TMobile SIM might cause I just turned off the TMobile SIM in the phone settings and it's back to like having only one SIM in the phone...my Thai DTAC SIM....no offers of which SIM to dial the call with/send the text with....no chances for using the wrong SIM and sending yourself to the poor house while making TMobile rich at $2.39 per minute or 50 cents per text.  But when needing to use the TMobile SIM just turn it back on in the phone settings....only takes a few seconds to turn off or on...and the TMobile SIM makes a reconnection in about 10 seconds.

 

Glad I finally got my curiosity satisfied (by getting off my butt) about how and if the TMobile SIM would work in my dual SIM phone using a DTAC SIM in SIM Slot 1.  Pretty durn easy.   Now I have a much better setup to use my TMobile SIM....don't have to go fire-up the other phone and give it a few minutes to fully boot-up/make a connection.  I just amaze myself sometimes in what I can do (and also don't do, put off till later).  ????

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, Pib said:

Glad I finally got my curiosity satisfied (by getting off my butt) about how and if the TMobile SIM would work in my dual SIM phone using a DTAC SIM in SIM Slot 1.  Pretty durn easy.   Now I have a much better setup to use my TMobile SIM....don't have to go fire-up the other phone and give it a few minutes to fully boot-up/make a connection.  I just amaze myself sometimes in what I can do (and also don't do, put off till later).  ????

There's no choice in your Settings anywhere to say whether one or other line is active? I have an iPhone and I was looking at the new eSIM functionality yesterday online. It seems I can turn one of the SIMs in the phone off, and only turn it on as required, vis my Settings. As you have a dual SIM phone it's presumably some flavour of Android

[Pib]

10 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

There's no choice in your Settings anywhere to say whether one or other line is active? I have an iPhone and I was looking at the new eSIM functionality yesterday online. It seems I can turn one of the SIMs in the phone off, and only turn it on as required, vis my Settings. As you have a dual SIM phone it's presumably some flavour of Android

I have a Samsung Android phone.  I'm clueless about the Apple world.   I can set SIM 1 and/or SIM 2 to off or on. Basically, just use SIM 1...or just use SIM 2....or use both SIMs at the same time.  

 

And to avoid SIM 2, which is my TMobile SIM, from being active all the time and possibly (easily) causing me to use it by mistake I just turn it off.  Turning it back on and getting a reconnection with TMobile only takes about 10 seconds as mentioned earlier.

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, Pib said:

And to avoid SIM 2, which is my TMobile SIM, from being active all the time and possibly (easily) causing me to use it by mistake I just turn it off.  Turning it back on and getting a reconnection with TMobile only takes about 10 seconds as mentioned earlier.

Which means, as it's off, no one should be able to call you successfully and the missus can't make the wrong decision!

[Pib]

13 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

Which means, as it's off, no one should be able to call you successfully and the missus can't make the wrong decision!

Right....and that's what I said in my "long" post.

 

[cmarshall]

As long as you have a cooperating friend in the US, it's easy to set up a Google Voice number.  At the setup your friend will get either a call or an sms to confirm the number (which must be landline or cell, not VOIP), but it never happens after that.  

 

It may get harder to simulate a US presence for the banks.  For instance, I recently tried out a new function in the USAA app.  I think it was initiating a wire transfer, but I don't remember exactly.  Anyway, the app insisted that I turn on the location function before it would let me proceed.  Sigh.  So soon I will have to look into smartphone apps that fake the location in addition to all the other steps I have to take.

[55Jay]

On 4/11/2019 at 9:04 AM, kokesaat said:

Vanguard provides otp via email.  Might want to see if your bank offers that option

Or a robo-voice phone call option.  I hit this wall for the first (and still only) time a few months ago setting up on-line access to a new TD America brokerage acct.   Opened a US Skype# and thankfully that worked out.   So far, Schwab/Capital 1 haven't prompted for any OTPs to do my usual on-line transactions.  Yet.  ????

 

 

[longball53098]

1 hour ago, Pib said:

Well, I got a burst of energy (and curiosity) and moved the TMobile SIM from the single SIM phone it was living in which I only turned on when I wanted to use TMobile SIM to my "dual" SIM phone that I use everyday in Thailand with DTAC as my cell carrier.  And it worked.   I now had two mobile connections....my Thailand DTAC plan/SIM and my T-Mobile $3 plan/SIM which was also connecting to DTAC.  

 

For the last 6 months or so when firing-up the TMobile SIM it has always chosen DTAC for the connection....but before that it almost always chose AIS.  TMobile has agreement with multiple Thailand cell carriers such as DTAC, AIS, True, etc....maybe TMobile rotates connections around or maybe it depends on which cell carrier is putting out the strongest signal where ever you happen to be when turning on your phone....doesn't make a difference as long as the TMobile SIM makes a connection to some carrier in Thailand.

 

Ok, with both the DTAC SIM and TMobile SIM in the phone I wondered if I sent a "text" from my Google Voice number to the TMobile number would it automatically arrive/appear or would I have to switch SIM settings, etc.  Remember, I had never used dual SIMs in this phone or any phone...I be a rookie when it came to that.   But I sent the text from the GV number which is using my DTAC SIM connnection and within a few seconds it showed up in my message box along with a little icon in the lower right hand corner of the screen identifying which SIM received it....and it showed it as SIM 2 which was the TMobile SIM/number/connection.  I then checked my TMobile online account and now it said I had 29 of 30 free texts to go....where before sending that text I was at 30 of 30. 

 

But then I started wondering about "calls"....would a call coming to my TMobile SIM (even a wrong number...a person who dialed my Tmobile number by mistake or some robo call) automatically ring.  Occasionally such calls do come to my TMobile number and when the person leaves a voicemail I get an email from TMobile and phone notification saying such   I fully expect it would ring since the text came thru automatically.  And I think when most people hear their phone ringing they just press answer and say Hello.....and if I did such with it coming thru on the TMobile SIM I have just incurred $2.39 per minute.  

 

So, I wanted to do a controlled call test.  So I dialed my TMobile number from my MajicJack VOIP number and  the phone began to ring but I didn't answer....no answer, no charge.   So this test confirmed calls made to my TMobile number would automatically ring.   I checked my TMobile online account and no charge since I didn't answer.

 

I also noticed when wanting to make a call that I would dial or select from my phone book it offered me the choice to making the call using the DTAC or TMobile SIM.  Oh my gosh, press the wrong SIM choice which I would surely do sometimes or when the wife uses my phone she presses the Tmobile SIM and I'm now incurring a $2.39 per minute call.   That would hurt cost-wise.

 

But to avoid all of that drama (and cost) the second SIM TMobile SIM might cause I just turned off the TMobile SIM in the phone settings and it's back to like having only one SIM in the phone...my Thai DTAC SIM....no offers of which SIM to dial the call with/send the text with....no chances for using the wrong SIM and sending yourself to the poor house while making TMobile rich at $2.39 per minute or 50 cents per text.  But when needing to use the TMobile SIM just turn it back on in the phone settings....only takes a few seconds to turn off or on...and the TMobile SIM makes a reconnection in about 10 seconds.

 

Glad I finally got my curiosity satisfied (by getting off my butt) about how and if the TMobile SIM would work in my dual SIM phone using a DTAC SIM in SIM Slot 1.  Pretty durn easy.   Now I have a much better setup to use my TMobile SIM....don't have to go fire-up the other phone and give it a few minutes to fully boot-up/make a connection.  I just amaze myself sometimes in what I can do (and also don't do, put off till later).  ????

Many thanks Pib for the as usual in depth answer to set me/us straight about the TMobile prepay. I asked a friend in the US and he basically said they don/t have such  plans. I found more info my self by going to their website.

 

Anyway, great answer to this,,,,I personally will not need any data connection or talk, as you only need the texting ability

[Snow Leopard]

On 4/11/2019 at 8:29 AM, Peterw42 said:

Yes thats right, I keep an Australian sim going for $5 a month. Lots of the newer phones are dual sim nowadays, the home sim can be the 2nd sim in your phone, sitting there until you need it.

Easy as. Dual SIM phone. 

[UKresonant]

Ratkuten Viber app might do it, but not free. It is certainly good at emulating a voice call in country. We had to phone Dads bank (with him present) on my UK mobile phone in the UK. A further issue caused me to phone again a few days later from Thailand, using Viber out. The Bank security asked why my number was associated with Dad's account....

Info

https://support.viber.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2926544-viber-local-number

 

(i think I will explore this as a possibility, though I've nothing crucial that use SMS verification in the UK at present)

[Nemises]

Yes thats right, I keep an Australian sim going for $5 a month. Lots of the newer phones are dual sim nowadays, the home sim can be the 2nd sim in your phone, sitting there until you need it.

Same, but my AU sim only costs $20 a year.
After obtaining the sim you activate international roaming and insert the SIM card into your phone whenever you’re expecting an OTP.
Simple as.

[mtls2005]

On 4/11/2019 at 8:57 AM, longball53098 said:

I have at least two banks in the USA that require a US cell phone number set up and verified to receive the OTP (One-time Password) security features to use on-line banking functions.

 

It really depends on the banks, and which bulk SMS service they use for OTPs.

 

Some banks work with Google Voice (Fidelity, for example) while BoA does NOT appear to function with anything other than a real mobile number, others with Talkatone. You really have to research your individual bank's capabilities.

 

Obviously, you need to register said number with your banks, and this has to be done in a secure manner which may present additional challenges, like appearing in person. 

 

The T-Mobile approach works fine here, just pop the SIM in a few minutes before usage - I roam to AIS, but you do need to enable international roaming first, and make sure you have balance to cover the SMS fee. The $3/month plan, at $36/year (plus any applicable state sales tax) should be sufficient. 

 

The BoA SafePass card works fine for me, as does my T-Mobile SIM. I'm still grandfathered on the $3/day PAYG plan, which only gets charged when I use it. Lately they haven't dinged me for a day's usage, or the incoming SMS, when I've used it here in Thailand.

 

Assuming you could get your banks to accept your new number, you could ask someone in the U.S. to purchase a T-Mobile SIM (with Activation Code, ~ $10 on eBay), activate it, set-up an online account (I've been getting blocked from THL, accessing mytmobile lately unless using a VPN, or getting an OTP), enable IR, add value ($40), choose the $3/month plan, then mail the SIM to you. I've done this a few times for friends here, I bring them back with me. These work with BoA fine for those friends needing OTPs from BoA.

 

https://prepaid.t-mobile.com/pay-as-you-go

 

 

Assuming worst case, 50 cents per SMS, then you could get like, what 80 SMSes in a year for $40?

 

On return trips, you'd have to add on money to cover calls (~ 10 cents/min incoming and outgoing rounded up), and add-on data ($5/day or $10/week).

 

 

I assume wit h security in the US now someone has to present ID when buying/activating a sim.?

 

No. OK, maybe in a shop, but not online. You do have to choose a number, provide a DoB, link a payment (can use a scratch card), email, etc.