E-Sim cards to enable you to get text messages from the USA??

[niebla]

On 6/7/2022 at 9:32 PM, Pib said:

Well, the Skype rep was right and wrong...it will depend on whether the SMS sender accepts/rejects use of a VOIP number for receiving a two factor logon code and/or what sending system the sender uses.   And it's not uncommon for some financial related companies/banks to accept a VOIP number in your online profile to receive general info SMSs/receive voice calls, etc., but they will not accept/use the VOIP number to send a two factor code.  All depends on the company/bank.  

 

Skype is a "VOIP service" and "depending on whether the sender (i.e., bank, company, etc) who is sending the Two Factor code/One Time Passcode SMS as a "short code" SMS or regular SMS can determine whether you receive the SMS.   If it's being sent as a true "short code" Skype, Google Voice, Magic Jack, TextNow, etc.,  just to name a few VOIP phone number services the chances are good you will "not" receive the code.....OR, the VOIP number will be rejected upfront in attempting to use it for two factor/online profile purposes.  

 

A short code SMS can be formatted in different ways but they are sent from a bank's/company's short code number usually consisting of a 5 or 6 digits phone number instead of a full blown phone number.  I'm not talking about the two factor code they are sending you which is usually only 6 to 8 digits long....I'm talking about the phone number that code is sent from. 

 

Short code numbers have different underlying specs/format compared to a full phone number.   Plus, if they desire the entities sending you a Two-factor code can determine before sending whether a number is a real mobile number, a landline number, or VOIP number and simply refuse to use the number/not send the code.....give you a pop-up message something went wrong, the number is no good, it's a VOIP number, etc.

 

I have many U.S. online accounts and I would say around one-third of the accts will "not" accept a VOIP number/send a two factor logon code to a VOIP number....and that number has been slowly increasing over the last five or so years.   Five years ago they "all" worked fine with one of my VOIP numbers like my Google Voice number but now only around  two-thirds accept VOIP numbers for two factor codes.   And I have my Google Voice number setup to also email me a copy of each SMS, but when a true short code system is being used I neither receive the code on my phone or via email because it's get blocked somewhere along way or is not actually send since Google Voice is a VOIP number.

 

And just the past week one more U.S. govt agency where I have a financial related account switched to using a new contractor to provide account logon/management and in that contractor switch a person had to setup a new online acct which primarily involved some identity verification which used your mobile number for identity verification.    Although my Google Voice number worked fine with the old contractor to setup my online acct years ago, the new U.S. govt contractor would not accept VOIP numbers (and said so upfront during the acct creation process) for identify verification purposes....and as it turned out even my "prepaid" U.S. mobile numbers would not work either in the identity verification process. 

 

However, I still tried to use my Google Voice number to create/transfer the acct and was "immediately" greeted with rejection....that is, the contractor immediately said it as a VOIP number....didn't even get the chance of them sending a two factor code.   And as mentioned, my U.S. "prepaid" mobile numbers would not work either because issue of a prepaid number/SIM requires little to no identity verification....just a credit/debit card to pay the monthly bill.  However, a "postpaid" mobile number or landline number does carry a good degree of identity verification.  Fortunately, this U.S. govt contractor also allowed identity verification via sending them a copy of your ID (such as a U.S. state drivers license, U.S. passport, etc) or verification via public data security question & answer (i.e., credit reporting agency data).   I ended up going the Q&A method to get verified.  AND THEN when completing my new acct profile setup my Google Voice number "would" work to receive two factor codes---but my Google Voice number and prepaid mobile number were a no-go for identity verification purposes.

 

Yeap, even disregarding the identify verification stuff I said above, whether a VOIP number like Skype, Google Voice, etc., will work to receive two-factor codes will depend on the sending entity and if that sending entity uses a true "short code" system or not....OR, whether that sending entity prescreens a number before sending/before allowing it in your online profile to determine if it's an acceptable type number to them based on their security policies....and VOIP numbers are slowly becoming not acceptable at some/more banks/companies/etc., who are tightening up their various online security policies.   But fortunately, many banks/companies still accept VOIP numbers no problem.....it all depends on how the sender has their sending system setup/their security policies.

 

 

 

Very well written. These were my experiences exactly. Capital One is the worst.

[mania]

On 6/24/2022 at 3:36 PM, GinBoy2 said:

There is only one really bullet proof way to get around this.

 

The banks are getting really savvy on detecting any virtual VOIP numbers, and if if you think thats gonna get better rather than worse, you really are smoking the good stuff!

 

You suck it up and get a US mobile line that supports WiFi calling.

 

That phone sits in your house connected to your WiFi network and is for all intents and purposes is in the US, good for banking, the IRS, girlfriends etc.

 

You can dick around with all the VOIP options you want, but it's just a cat and mouse game

This^^^^ is the best route & I used it last year in Thailand for four months worked perfectly

 

No need to pay roaming charges just bought AT&T lowest unlimited talk & text $26 a month on auto pay

While in Thailand using wifi calling could call USA free & receive all texts from banks & credit cards etc no prob.

When I called USA family they always said "Oh thought you were in Thailand" ????

 

[Mediappy]

When it comes to eSIM cards for receiving texts from the USA while you're in Europe, it's a game-changer. eSIMs work like virtual SIM cards, so you don't need a physical one.

[shdmn]

Port your mobile number to a VoIP provider that can send SMS to email, such as Voip.ms.  My number is still listed as a mobile number with the previous mobile provider even after I ported, so it still apparently passes all the checks with the things I use it for.  At least that has been my experience with it so far but YMMV.

Edited July 12 by shdmn

[The Fugitive]

2 hours ago, shdmn said:

Port your mobile number to a VoIP provider that can send SMS to email, such as Voip.ms.  My number is still listed as a mobile number with the previous mobile provider even after I ported, so it still apparently passes all the checks with the things I use it for.  At least that has been my experience with it so far but YMMV.

Very interesting thanks! Presumably, based upon your findings, porting your existing mobile number would enable you to receive 2FA (one time passcodes) via SMS using 'VYKE'. Renting a mobile number (only available for Canada, United Kingdom and United States) is only $16 USD per ANNUM. You would then need to contact 'VYKE' customer services to port your existing mobile phone number.

[Mediappy]

On 7/12/2024 at 11:53 PM, Mediappy said:

When it comes to eSIM cards for receiving texts from the USA while you're in Europe, it's a game-changer. eSIMs work like virtual SIM cards, so you don't need a physical one.

Providers like Esim Europe offer plans where you can get a local US number on your eSIM, making it super convenient whether you're traveling or just need to keep in touch with friends and family across the pond. The setup process is usually straightforward. Most modern smartphones support eSIM technology, and you can activate it right from your phone's settings menu. Once activated, your eSIM functions just like a regular SIM card, allowing you to send and receive texts seamlessly. Plus, since it's all digital, there's no need to worry about losing or damaging a physical card.
Having an eSIM also means you can manage multiple numbers on a single device, which is great if you juggle work and personal contacts or travel frequently between different countries. It's a real lifesaver for staying connected without the hassle of swapping out SIM cards.

Edited July 24 by Mediappy

[jas007]

For what it’s worth, Amazon will send texts to a Thai number for verification purposes. 

[Lassq]

e-SIM cards are great for getting texts from the USA, but if you need to protect your privacy or just want a temporary number, there are other options. Many services offer temporary phone numbers that you can use for verification or other purposes. For example, you can find out how to generate temporary phone numbers online through various services. They can be really handy if you want to avoid sharing your personal number. Check out more details on how to generate temporary phone number on websites that offer these services.

Edited August 21 by Lassq

[gamb00ler]

For SMS's from US verification, I bought an UltraMobile PayGo sim on eBay and had it sent to my friend in the USA.  Before you can use it here in Thailand, it must be registered by putting in a phone in US and connecting to the mobile network there.  I get SMS and inbound calls through my home WiFi network without further charge beyond the $3/month fee.  I get 100 free SMS and 100 free minutes of calls to USA numbers per month.

 

I moved my local Thai mobile service to an esim and the UltraMobile remains on the physical sim.

Edited August 22 by gamb00ler