SMS verification codes not arriving

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › SMS verification codes not arriving - PayPal specifically

tchart

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#302224 8-Nov-2022 13:31

Not sure if its a 2 Degrees problem or not but since last week I am no longer receiving my 2FA text messages from PayPal on 2 Degrees

This was working last week (31/10/2022)
Since then I am not getting the 2FA messages from PayPal (short number 358)
Phone is unchanged (iPhone 12)
I have restarted my phone
Ive checked blocked contacts etc and the number is not blocked.

And before anyone asks text message is the only 2FA that PayPal offer (yes 2007 called they want their 2FA back...)

The PayPal/Apple forums seems to suggest carrier issue.

Any suggestions?

michaelmurfy

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#2993488 8-Nov-2022 13:57

PayPal also offer app based 2FA... I use it myself. I don't think I've ever used SMS based with them.

Have you recently changed to 2degrees?

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tchart

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#2993503 8-Nov-2022 14:25

michaelmurfy:

PayPal also offer app based 2FA... I use it myself. I don't think I've ever used SMS based with them.

Have you recently changed to 2degrees?

No, long time customer (5+ years) with same number.

Interesting, I dont recall seeing the app based option but then again my account is 20+ years old and I dont recall when I enabled it.

The catch 22 is that it wont let me login to change the phone number or method without the 2FA SMS.

EDIT just checked my messages and I have messages back to December 2021 (when I moved to iOS) until 31 October. Seems a bit odd that it would just stop working.

farcus

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#2993526 8-Nov-2022 16:10

tchart:

No, long time customer (5+ years) with same number.

Interesting, I dont recall seeing the app based option but then again my account is 20+ years old and I dont recall when I enabled it.

The catch 22 is that it wont let me login to change the phone number or method without the 2FA SMS.

EDIT just checked my messages and I have messages back to December 2021 (when I moved to iOS) until 31 October. Seems a bit odd that it would just stop working.

I too have been a paypal customer for approx 20 years.

Have been using Authy for Paypal 2FA (and others) for the past couple of years.

richms

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#2993589 8-Nov-2022 16:59

Makes me feel better that I say no everytime paypal ask for a mobile number to use for 2 factor then.

Richard rich.ms

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#2993697 9-Nov-2022 07:51

tchart:

And before anyone asks text message is the only 2FA that PayPal offer (yes 2007 called they want their 2FA back...)

Just yesterday I set up one of my Yubikeys to do 2FA with PayPal (for some stupid reason they only support one key so I couldn't add my backup key as well). And I've got it set to use an authenticator app as my backup. So there's definitely more than just text messages available for 2FA on PayPal.

tchart

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#2994005 9-Nov-2022 16:03

Messages still not arriving. Moved my SIM to my old Android to test, still nothing. So either network related or an issue with their SMS provider.

Rung up PayPal asked them to remove 2FA which they did and I have now moved over to Authenticator app.

Still a bit of a mystery why the message are not arriving. The support guy even sent one while I was on the call and nothing. Number is correct.

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AndG

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#2996105 14-Nov-2022 17:46

Hello

I am also having exactly the same problem today with my 2Degrees Phone.

I have tried to sign up again and Paypal website asked to verify the phone no. I put the same number and the txt didn't arrive.

However, I have another phone with Vodafone and when I put my Vodafone number , the text was received instantly.

tchart

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#2996119 14-Nov-2022 18:16

AndG:

Hello

I am also having exactly the same problem today with my 2Degrees Phone.

I have tried to sign up again and Paypal website asked to verify the phone no. I put the same number and the txt didn't arrive.

However, I have another phone with Vodafone and when I put my Vodafone number , the text was received instantly.

Yeah pretty sure it’s a 2 degrees issue. I tried an android phone with the same SIM and nothing. I gave up and called PayPal to turn 2FA off.

tchart

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#3055995 29-Mar-2023 07:12

Sorry to revive an old thread, this morning I tried to get a 2FA code for a Google account. Never arrived. Tried again. Never arrived. Luckily I was still signed in on aother PC so I could set up app based 2FA.

So continues to be a 2 degrees issue.

michaelmurfy

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#3056003 29-Mar-2023 08:34

SMS based 2FA is wildly insecure and also unreliable. If you're still using it for anything (except banks who often don't support other options) you're better to migrate away to a 2FA app like Microsoft Authenticator or use your password manager. Google have basically every option possible including push based app authentication.

https://securityboulevard.com/2021/12/why-using-sms-authentication-for-2fa-is-not-secure/

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#3056006 29-Mar-2023 08:50

tchart:

Sorry to revive an old thread, this morning I tried to get a 2FA code for a Google account. Never arrived. Tried again. Never arrived. Luckily I was still signed in on aother PC so I could set up app based 2FA.

So continues to be a 2 degrees issue.

I doubt this is a 2d issue but the SMS aggregator routing but the A party (sending) needs to start invesigation

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tchart

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#3056162 29-Mar-2023 11:42

Linux:

I doubt this is a 2d issue but the SMS aggregator routing but the A party (sending) needs to start invesigation

Actually if you had read the thread

AndG:

Hello

I am also having exactly the same problem today with my 2Degrees Phone.

I have tried to sign up again and Paypal website asked to verify the phone no. I put the same number and the txt didn't arrive.

However, I have another phone with Vodafone and when I put my Vodafone number , the text was received instantly.

tchart

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#3056164 29-Mar-2023 11:44

2FA codes arrived after 5 hours...I requested these around 6:30 this morning.

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#3056199 29-Mar-2023 13:51

I can confirm this is a 2d issue as it is on the status page!

Mobile

Some customers may currently be experiencing issues receiving A2P (application to person) SMS like bank OTP and might not be getting SMS response from our top-up service including short codes like 233. The team are aware of the issue and are working hard to have this fixed as soon as possible. We’re sorry for the hassle and thanks for your patience.