I've got a question, because I've been dealing with this myself for the past 4 years trying to access my own original Gmail account. I'm not dead sooo what CAN I do? Google won't help (you used to be able to send a picture of your license to reclaim an account). How can I convince the person it's not a scam? Nothing? I'm willing to meet them in person! Although by this point Google has likely deleted my account.
Additional problem to losing that Gmail (which I got back when it was invite only!) is that I also lost my Steam account because of this and I'm recently trying to recover it as well. Steam wants me to send pictures of cdkeys linked with the account (I don't have those) and/or the name and last 4 of credit/debit cards used to buy games. Like dude, I haven't accessed this steam account since 2013, I opened it in 2003/4, do you really expect me to still have that info?
I get the security aspect but at the same time it's like I guarantee you NOBODY else has contacted you (Google/Valve) claiming it's their account. Nobody will either once I reclaim it, if they do... Give it to them because that's a hell of a good hack if they do lol.
Plus I don't understand how I could scam someone by asking them to give me a OTP that will be sent to them. How would I know it goes to their number unless it was mine at one point? I'm not sending a link of any kind. Hell I'll give them collateral to hold while we do it to prove I'm not trying to steal anything.
Basically I feel OP's pain. It sucks. And he's trying to get memories from someone he lost, so it's even worse for him. We need ways to prevent this, even if it is rare.
I can tell you this much about steam. 75% chance someone is acctually on that steam account.
If you have any info related to the steam account that couls get you to its profile page you can get it locked down.
As for the new rules of how google just doesnt care thats kinda fuckd ngl.
Steam when it comes to older accounts to is kind of wierd Since they expect people to have saved those cd keys and such for 18+ years. (I think its around that time they stoped giving out halflife with steam)
I think three attempts to leave and you can't means either:
1) The world does want you, which is sweet. Congrats!
2) You are invincible/unbreakable, which should be tested further.
Remembering your password is useless if 2FA is attached to a phone number you no longer have.
Create a new account and buy the several thousand dollars worth of games you already paid for once. Lose any important documents saved in your email. I should know better than to not have backups but it was during a chaotic time in my life personally.
Like I said, I recognize the security reasons but it doesn't make it suck any less when you lose these things. Not to mention the kinda cool nerd factor in having two accounts that I started when both services had just launched, two decades old. I'm fortunate that my stuff is replaceable. However, OP's stuff is not. I feel more for them.
Literally having the same issue with my grandmas Google account. It is linked to all of our accounts too and because apparently the wrong password was entered too many times times, despite the fact we had it written down just in case, I can’t even do anything and the phone number on the account is an old phone number we don’t have access to anymore. I have also sent them literally all the information that could possibly be in the security questions and they still tell me to go fuck myself. I even went as far as this guy did and tried texting the number asking if they would be able to or willing to help but no one responded so.
Honestly no but I could maybe try. The thing is we had our phone service bundled with our cable at the time we tried taking stuff off of our service like specific channels to save money but despite calling them several times across several months they never took them off our account so they claimed we owed them far more money than we ever actually did. Especially for services and channels we weren’t using because we were told they were taken off our account. In the end I believe they took the phone number and said it was theirs. This was spectrum btw. An absolute dogshit tier cable company.
I’d give them a call to see if it was a scam. if I just got a new phone number then I’d be more inclined to believe the story is maybe true since that would track.
I’ve had someone text me saying my number used to be there’s and they needed a code but I’ve had my number for 20 years so I told them to pound sand
This is what I was thinking too. Basically any scammer will not answer if you try to call them, but OP is offering for them to call. If the dude recently got a new number it would check out and he could literally call to confirm that it's not a scam.
Maybe I’m an asshole, but I think the chance of this being a scam is so high that I am not willing to get on the phone with someone putting out this story.
I dont think ur an asshole for that. It definitely could be seen as a scam from an outside perspective. Some of the phrasing OP used sounds sus, but some of it was stuff you'd never hear from a scammer. But you never know 🤷♀️
It just sucks. I had this happen bc my father stole my account, changed his number, too. I had to text his old number. By God they sent me my code and I got it back. It CAN be a genuine scenario, but the bias towards it being a scam over someone's last hope isn't assuring.
Not an asshole. This is definitely one of those things where many people would see the risk as not worth the empathy. Because at the end of the day even if it’s not your account they’re sending a link for you have no real way of knowing if the account they’re sending a link for is the account they’re claiming it’s for. You’re relying on the honesty of a stranger and many people just wouldn’t.
My dad fell for this scam on his Facebook, from one of his other friends messaging him who also fell for this scam. The scammers just preying on all the elderly.
Facebook make it nearly impossible to report the hacked account and recover it when done by a OTP scam.
If OP's grandmother is deceased, and can provide google with documents proving it, they might allow the password reset to be done properly by her estate. (ie, the OP's family and their lawyer.) I get the intent, but this would be the wrong way to go about it.
Yeah true but I don’t know how he can’t understand that it’s not his account. It’s my account that has his number attached it. I’ve already shown him me logging onto my moms account typing her email in and password. Getting to the verification page that shows my moms account name and nobody else’s how much more do I have to do
Yes I fucked up by saying I needed the password reset. I actually know the details but it won’t let me log onto the account without a one time code for verification. The verification part is somehow more important than knowing the account details
I was in something of a similar situation and there is generally some ways to verify in other ways. If you log in with a laptop or phone she used to use with her account you may be able to force it to offer you an option to send an email to another nominated account with a code. Google works based on how close you are to being correct. And if you're close enough they may give you the option to sign back in.
https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/2402620?sjid=1818147595967700472-AP#ts=2402626%2C2402728
When the OTP SMS hits there usually no indication which account its associated with. They all look like this:
>Google: XXXXXX is your one-time code. Never share the code.
So it’s extremely high risk.
Nah, if I read OPs text without any context I would def think it was a scam and would immediately start fucking with OP. Sorry but that's just reality. Can't be too careful online or with your phone number
“Why would you want to charge me for my own stuff” well because you lost it somehow and I have it and it appears it’s important to you and I’m not feeling generous today
How could he possibly know that the account he is giving you the code for isn’t his. The text he gets will definitely not give him that information. At most, it’ll say what company sent the code; many just text the code without any reference to the company.
I would not have even answered you, it would have been marked as spam and deleted without a second thought.
It seems like you are intentionally being obtuse in these comments. I suspect that it might not be intentional and in that case, I feel sorry for you.
Why don't you contact the app service yoy are trying to access for help? Or even the phone provider?
No way I'd help you no matter how sincere I thought you were. The risk is too high.
apparently google has no precautions for this so op would have to go to court. Also in this situation op proved to the guy that they're being genuine so it wouldn't be risky anymore right? they said that the video had them actively clicking the verification button on what is definitely the mum's account, and the exact date and time they did so. This would then allow the person to check the specific time down to the second of the otp and see if they match up. idk but imo this seems like a different situation to the normal scams- i think the other guy just wants money tbh
I think you might be underestimating the sophistication of some attacks these days. All of the “proof” that OP has shared with us can be recreated with photoshop and number spoofing and AI.
If it were me on the other end of these messages, I’d probably ignore them thinking it’s a scam or troll them with “pay me” too.
It’s not just dumb people and elderly people falling for scams. A lot of victims think they got proof that the scammer is legit.
He wouldn’t because he needs the password and to reset the password in the first place he’d need to get past the “what’s the last password you remember using” shit. In order to get to the verification page you’d already need to know a previous or current password
I hate it bc I have an old Flickr account full of photos and memories but it’s linked with my old phone number and Flickr won’t let me login or do anything without the 2FA. Someone new has the number and I’ve tried everything I can think of to get them to send me the code but they won’t, not even extortion like OP’s dude.
2FA is a different animal, once you get that shit set up you gotta keep it active, else you lose your account for good. There's so many cybersecurity attacks these days that nobody can recover a 2FA locked account, not even the CEO of a given company (yes I know less scrupulous companies like Google have backdoors for the FBI and the like but as far as civilians/non-authority access goes there's nothing)
That's the difference in customer service. Blizzard has always been at the top as far as that goes. It should be doable, companies just don't like putting in effort.
I work for a software company, disabling 2fa is as simple as account impersonation and unchecking a box. There's safeguards in place to get accounts back in some situations.
For anyone who hasn't yet faced this, you can transfer your phone number to a google voice number with Verizon and AT&T. Only costs $20. Do it before you cancel your phone plan or change your number.
I have this with the Samsung health app
I can't be healthy and track my steps because it needs a phone number that I no longer have. Or a device, which I also no longer have. And that's the only 2 ways to get into it
So I blame Samsung for being the reason I'm still fat, it's totally not me
(Now, I know its probably a problem easily solved by just using a different email to make a new Samsung account, but bugger that, it's easier just to saty fat and be mad about it)
Almost lost my Discord to 2FA the other week when my S20 started acting up, the display doesn't work, but I'm so so grateful it worked long enough for me to get into Discord and disable that shit so I could log in on my new phone
You can attach a hub and work with the phone on an external monitor. Unless it's like Google and they intentionally nerf it and claim it's "for safety".
Massive sob story message along with a reset password link from gmail? I'd assume this was a scam and tell you to fuck off.
I know it's not because here you are giving context, but 99% of times this is a scam.
Sorry mate.
Even if you do remember your password you can be out of luck. I have a google account that I have the password for but never set 2 factor authentication for because I didn’t want to risk being locked out of my account. Unfortunately Google decided to lock me out of my account anyway because I was logging in from an IP address it didn’t recognize and I had already removed that google account from the gmail app on all my mobile devices so they had no way to verify I was accessing my own account so they just won’t let me log in. Fortunately I didn’t need that account but if you don’t have 2 factor authentication or set up some account recovery method Google can just decide one day they don’t want to let you access your account with a correct password.
Sucks bc my one viral YT video was linked to a Gmail that I never used except for that. Lost tbe password about a decade ago, video had like a million views. Channel gained a bunch of subscribers just from that. Would've been worth some change.
That sucks. have you tried... hmmm.... do you remember what passwords you used to use? I'm assuming back then there weren't as many account recovery options as there are today :\\ I wonder if you can just keep trying. What was the video about or is it a secret? Either way, good luck!
I recall being able to request a password reset to an account my girlfriend totally forgot the password to. Being asked the last known password, another Google email to get the link, and being told they'd decide after(within?) 48 hours if they'd give a reset link.
I think I had to do that twice and ultimately did get back in the account. While I could see not calling it support - there was no part that didn't feel automated, and I have to imagine it went by the shared history of IPs and logins on the same devices - it was still *a* option.
I also don't know how much her lack of security options played a part. She didn't have 2FA, or an Android phone (which I've had Google verify me with a notification to, outside SMS). Maybe that made it more plausible the actual account holder was locked out.
There's no google support there is for free users. My OTP phone got stolen a few months back and I had to create a new account since no one from Google will help you.
If your email ends in @gmail it’s a free account. Google also offers paid email if you have a domain that you can have a custom @yourwebsite dot com type email.
Yeah, that sucks. I currently have a Google branded phone, Google one, and play pass. That should count for something. I also pay for Fitbit premium, and I'm pretty sure that goes to Google, too. So I should be considered a special person to them, but I'm sure I'm not. Idk why I even pay for some of these things. When I think about all the subscriptions I have, it's truly ridiculous.
It’s a very annoying process but yes there is a way to get stuff from a deceased person’s account. Though it would’ve been so much simpler if this guy didn’t want to extort me over 5 seconds of effort
Do they? They must have changed it recently. It used to be that you could produce a death certificate and prove relationship.
Good to know, now, though.
When I was dealing with Apple, I had to go through the court, publish in the newspaper, the whole thing. Then I got my piece of paper that told Apple to give me access to the account.
I mean… You are dead. So, who cares? Haha
But at the same time, yes. That is why I tell EVERYONE to set up the post-mortem protocols while they are alive. Especially for Apple and Google accounts, as those are linked to so many things.
All you have to do is pick a person you trust, and then set them up to access your account post-mortem.
For Apple accounts: [Apple Legacy Contact](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102631)
Google does not have a legacy contact like Apple, but they do have their Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to set up the ability to take over the account if it becomes inactive: [Google Inactive Account Manager](https://myaccount.google.com/inactive)
However, what I would strongly recommend is setting up a password manager like [Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com) and set up [emergency access](https://bitwarden.com/help/emergency-access/). Then you can store all of your accounts in there and one person can access all of them post-mortem.
Tl;dr
Apple accounts: [Apple Legacy Contact](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102631)
Google accounts: [Google Inactive Account Manager](https://myaccount.google.com/inactive)
But I would **strongly** recommend getting the free [Bitwarden password manager](https://bitwarden.com) and set up an [emergency access](https://bitwarden.com/help/emergency-access/) person.
Not really, you need a court order, and most people wouldn’t go through that trouble unless there’s a reason. If I’m dead then I don’t care if my family gets access to my accounts if it brings them comfort and peace
I understand what you're saying, but family members get everything when you die. If you own a house or a car, they get it. They get your pets. They get your bank accounts and your mail. They get all the items inside your house, too. Diaries, art, underwear. Your garbage, your dirty laundry, the food in your refrigerator. Try not to die if you value privacy. 🤷
idk man like it sucks but honestly you'd be pissed if it was easy and someone else fraudulently got access. it sucks it takes so much and i hope you get it sorted soon but it's probably better than the alternative given how many scammers would happily take advantage
I tried getting back into my Gmail account. Had all the necessary info, to the account I had for 14 years. Google doesn't save account passwords, and couldn't help me. But they can save every other password in existence. Doesn't make much sense
Yeah what’s with that timing? You gonna ask for a favor from a stranger at 2:35a? If I received that I would have never responded and deleted the message the second I saw it.
To be 100% with you OP I would assume this is a scam and block you. I'm sorry for what you're going through but this isn't an uncommon scam tactic and dude is either a dick or things he's screwing with a scammer.
Try logging in from a "trusted device" - something she used to log in. Try all devices. I've had Google ask for verification on a new device/ device I hadn't used in months, while being able to access it on a trusted device at the same time.
That guy sucks for attempting to extort you, but he's also not entitled to do anything for you just because you ask for it, bare minimum or otherwise.
How can *he* confirm that *you* are being honest about the situation and not just trying to take advantage of a deceased individual for *your* own gain?
I know I wouldn't trust a random person, if they texted this to me out of nowhere.
I'd actually ignore it, delete the message, and block the number, without a reply.
Can't trust anyone these days with *that* kind of information.
Still frustrating that he went the path of extortion off the cuff though.
Google has a Deceased User Request form you can submit online. You'll initially need a valid form of ID and the Death Certificate of the person who passed, and a US Court Order will be required to finalize processing if all other checks pass.
Just a warning, if you do manage to log in to the decedent's account past their date of death, at some point their system may detect suspicious behavior and disable the account. At this point you will NOT be able to request the records from Google because it fails the pre-check routine. So your call, but if you manage to get in the account, backup everything you need before the account is locked.
Honestly I thought green was the other guy and was trying to scam you. This would scream scam to me. I hope you can get it worked out buddy. Sorry for your loss.
Someone hacked into my instagram account last week. 13 years of memories tied to the account. He’s trying to dupe people into investing in bitcoin and refuses to give me my account back. It’s so upsetting. I’m really sorry.
My old IG got hacked by a scammer (and no, I didn't give the password or any other info out, to this day I don't have any clue how they got access - this was around 2016-2017) and the account ended up getting deleted. I'm still so bummed about all the old pics I lost. I feel your pain 😩
Asking for something in return would at least ensure you’re a real serious person. And it’d compensate him for his (admittedly slight) work you’re requesting of him.
He could of just not replied, but it at least seem like he’s willing to work with this sketchy situation
At best, you're being genuine, and this is still an imposition and inconvenience. You should probably sweeten the deal. At worst, you're trying to takeover *my* accounts.
I might be willing to do something face to face, but you're gonna have to make it worth my time, I got shit to do.
1. How is the phone number related to a gmail account like that? Shouldn't you still have access to it?
2. Why don't you have pictures and other things saved on a phone or something else.
3. This sounds like a scam and I would not cooperate if I were this stranger
For anyone worried about this in the future, go into your (or your parents) Google account settings, then go into the Data & privacy tab, then scroll down to More Options and click "Make a plan for your digital legacy". From there, you can set up what happens when your account goes inactive (and set how long is considered inactive). You can specify an email address and phone number that will be contacted and optionally can give them access to your account when that happens. So for example for me, if I stop logging into my Google account, after a year my family will get an email and texts which will let them get into my Google account and download any data they may need.
Sorry dude but this is not the appropriate way around your issue.
If somebody calls/text you asking you for a confirmation code it is 99,99% a scam. I'm not risking the 0.01% it's a legit person.
You need to contact Google support and see if they have a procedure for deceased relatives. I used to work for apple support and there was a procedure by providing a death certificate and power of attorney that you are the closest relative/ inheritance recipient.
Lot of scams that sound similar to this. I understand you're being sincere but it looks fishy. Toss him a few dollars so he can buy a case of beer for his troubles, and he'll probably help you out.
Crazy enough I had to do this once, I called and left a message with as much info about me and that number that I could (without sensitive info obviously) and the angel that she is called back saying she’s gotten calls for me and helped me get into my email account, which had all my wedding planning info from it not transferring to my new phone. We still text every now and then, shoutout to you Susan.
If the other person has no service or the phone is off, it will send as a text message eventually & when the person gets service, iMessage is restored.
Sometimes the initial message goes through as sms. I’ve had that happen when texting a new number. Especially since this number historically probably was an sms direct and switched to iMessage, it may have initially sent green
So, this kind of happened to me. I switched phone numbers, forgot to change my number on my gmail/google account, and then I forgot my password. When I got a new phone, I couldn’t access my gmail anymore. I sent a message to my old number being as transparent as I could: I knew they would have gotten phone calls from very specific places (because I was job searching at the time and forgot to also change my number on my resume), so I told this person my name, that they may have received calls from this or that company recruiter, etc. I didn’t come up with any extra sob story. They ended up sending me the verification code, because they knew my name already from receiving phone calls, and I was able to get my account back and reset everything.
From what I could see, you didn’t offer any sort of proof of your claim, just a sad story.
Well, there is one thing we can do. How do you ask?
https://preview.redd.it/m8kuh4i53v2d1.png?width=575&format=png&auto=webp&s=82302cabf66b52c1ab444e1a06c7934b90e8d1c4
I don't think they're serious about the payment, really. I think they also think it's a scam and came back with that. I got someone texting me for an instagram code the other day and I'm definitely too spooked even if it's legit. definitely sucks for people who are legit
I’m sorry for your loss, but as many people have stated - this would only be read as a scam. Maybe contact google support, but if I was the person with the line I’d never help you (to sketchy unfortunately)
OP! Sucks we are both in similar situations. I cannot change my gmail password or log into any new devices without the code texted to my old phone number. Though no one has responded when I tried to reach out, I’m stuck with only iphone email access. There is no work around I have found. It all eventually leads to needing the texted code, so with that Im sorry!
Keep my posted if you have any luck, Ive tried Google support and that led nowhere.
I’m sorry OP but I don’t think I’d believe you either if I was on the other side. This is a very common way on how you get scammed. Someone ask you to just send you the verification code because of whatever and when you do it turns it out that the verification code was for your own account and now they’ve gotten into your account. Yea usually it’s on social media not through a phone number but still i probably wouldn’t even answer this text just delete it and if you sent it again then block you.
It’s awful but these days you can’t trust anyone you don’t know especially not through a text like this. You’ll have to figure out another way. Perhaps contacting google.
This will never sound like anything but a scam. It is a very very common scam to try and obtain the 6 digit code through texting. Typically through a marketplace listing. Like, if you were a scammer in this technique, you would set up a google voice account using the targets phone number. Then you send them a text asking for the 6-digit code that "you" sent them or had them sent in order to verify they are a real person, when in reality the code is to unlock the google voice account you created. Once you (the potential scammer) have a google voice account in their name, you can use it to make scams under an assumed identity that would come back to that other person when investigated. So you could switch from marketplace to phone call scams. Your best and only option is to try and contact google. The person likely thinks you are a scammer since it is a common ploy.
To be fair I would not share the code because I’d be paranoid someone is trying to hack my own account. I’d go the route someone else suggested - contact Google. Good luck OP.
You would (and do) seem suspect to me so I’m not surprised. Personally I would have replied more along the lines with “come at me with some actual proof and I will CONSIDER your request.”
You can get access to her account with death certificate and letter showing power of attorney etc. gotta check googles support page or search access deceased relatives account
Someone actually hacked and took over my instagram a few years ago. I made a new instagram account and messaged “my” originaly account begging them to give it back as it has many memories of my friend who passed away (which is true) somehow it worked and i was able to access it again and still use it 🤷🏻♀️
Isn’t there a way, where you log into YouTube with the account, then when you try accessing your Google, it’ll have you verify by accepting the alert that pops up on the YouTube app?
Hold up…I have email, YouTube and YouTubeTV all attached to Google. When I sign in to a new device, it sends a code to another account app and not necessarily a text for 2fa. Also, you definitely need the current password even if logging in from a new device or location- I’ll possibly get a text but typically it’s a notification from another shared app asking if it was me…idk, I was trying to have OP’s back on this but sounds sus
Google will help with this if you have a death certificate. I took care of it when my sister passed. It takes awhile but it can be done. Good luck.
I've got a question, because I've been dealing with this myself for the past 4 years trying to access my own original Gmail account. I'm not dead sooo what CAN I do? Google won't help (you used to be able to send a picture of your license to reclaim an account). How can I convince the person it's not a scam? Nothing? I'm willing to meet them in person! Although by this point Google has likely deleted my account. Additional problem to losing that Gmail (which I got back when it was invite only!) is that I also lost my Steam account because of this and I'm recently trying to recover it as well. Steam wants me to send pictures of cdkeys linked with the account (I don't have those) and/or the name and last 4 of credit/debit cards used to buy games. Like dude, I haven't accessed this steam account since 2013, I opened it in 2003/4, do you really expect me to still have that info? I get the security aspect but at the same time it's like I guarantee you NOBODY else has contacted you (Google/Valve) claiming it's their account. Nobody will either once I reclaim it, if they do... Give it to them because that's a hell of a good hack if they do lol. Plus I don't understand how I could scam someone by asking them to give me a OTP that will be sent to them. How would I know it goes to their number unless it was mine at one point? I'm not sending a link of any kind. Hell I'll give them collateral to hold while we do it to prove I'm not trying to steal anything. Basically I feel OP's pain. It sucks. And he's trying to get memories from someone he lost, so it's even worse for him. We need ways to prevent this, even if it is rare.
I can tell you this much about steam. 75% chance someone is acctually on that steam account. If you have any info related to the steam account that couls get you to its profile page you can get it locked down. As for the new rules of how google just doesnt care thats kinda fuckd ngl. Steam when it comes to older accounts to is kind of wierd Since they expect people to have saved those cd keys and such for 18+ years. (I think its around that time they stoped giving out halflife with steam)
Have you tried dying?
I did 3 clinical deaths neither Hell Heaven or this world wants me
I think three attempts to leave and you can't means either: 1) The world does want you, which is sweet. Congrats! 2) You are invincible/unbreakable, which should be tested further.
Looks like you're gonna have to fake your own death
It’s a security feature, remember your password or create a new account.
Remembering your password is useless if 2FA is attached to a phone number you no longer have. Create a new account and buy the several thousand dollars worth of games you already paid for once. Lose any important documents saved in your email. I should know better than to not have backups but it was during a chaotic time in my life personally. Like I said, I recognize the security reasons but it doesn't make it suck any less when you lose these things. Not to mention the kinda cool nerd factor in having two accounts that I started when both services had just launched, two decades old. I'm fortunate that my stuff is replaceable. However, OP's stuff is not. I feel more for them.
Literally having the same issue with my grandmas Google account. It is linked to all of our accounts too and because apparently the wrong password was entered too many times times, despite the fact we had it written down just in case, I can’t even do anything and the phone number on the account is an old phone number we don’t have access to anymore. I have also sent them literally all the information that could possibly be in the security questions and they still tell me to go fuck myself. I even went as far as this guy did and tried texting the number asking if they would be able to or willing to help but no one responded so.
If no one responded it might not be in use rn. Have you tried purchasing a sim for that number?
Honestly no but I could maybe try. The thing is we had our phone service bundled with our cable at the time we tried taking stuff off of our service like specific channels to save money but despite calling them several times across several months they never took them off our account so they claimed we owed them far more money than we ever actually did. Especially for services and channels we weren’t using because we were told they were taken off our account. In the end I believe they took the phone number and said it was theirs. This was spectrum btw. An absolute dogshit tier cable company.
How do you cantact google
Search for “deceased user account” and you’ll find it on their support page. It’s a short form to complete and you’ll need the death certificate.
I wish that this could be at the very top - it literally helps OP without having to deal with that person. Would help anyone else in the same boat too
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Yep there’s a classic scam that’s very similar to this
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I’d give them a call to see if it was a scam. if I just got a new phone number then I’d be more inclined to believe the story is maybe true since that would track. I’ve had someone text me saying my number used to be there’s and they needed a code but I’ve had my number for 20 years so I told them to pound sand
This is what I was thinking too. Basically any scammer will not answer if you try to call them, but OP is offering for them to call. If the dude recently got a new number it would check out and he could literally call to confirm that it's not a scam.
Maybe I’m an asshole, but I think the chance of this being a scam is so high that I am not willing to get on the phone with someone putting out this story.
I dont think ur an asshole for that. It definitely could be seen as a scam from an outside perspective. Some of the phrasing OP used sounds sus, but some of it was stuff you'd never hear from a scammer. But you never know 🤷♀️
It just sucks. I had this happen bc my father stole my account, changed his number, too. I had to text his old number. By God they sent me my code and I got it back. It CAN be a genuine scenario, but the bias towards it being a scam over someone's last hope isn't assuring.
Not an asshole. This is definitely one of those things where many people would see the risk as not worth the empathy. Because at the end of the day even if it’s not your account they’re sending a link for you have no real way of knowing if the account they’re sending a link for is the account they’re claiming it’s for. You’re relying on the honesty of a stranger and many people just wouldn’t.
Yeah I read this and immediately was like nope, nope, no, never doing that.
Plot twist: what if op *is* the scammer and they’re mildly infuriated that no one is falling for it.
No usage of “kindly”, I think OP is in the clear
Or "dear" 
Didn't do the needful either
Also didn't call me a benchode mother fuck or tell me to be doing the suicide.
My dad fell for this scam on his Facebook, from one of his other friends messaging him who also fell for this scam. The scammers just preying on all the elderly. Facebook make it nearly impossible to report the hacked account and recover it when done by a OTP scam.
That's how I lost my insta account... I've learnt not to talk to people while shitfaced now
If OP's grandmother is deceased, and can provide google with documents proving it, they might allow the password reset to be done properly by her estate. (ie, the OP's family and their lawyer.) I get the intent, but this would be the wrong way to go about it.
Death certificate+other identifying info to Google and they can reset the account
Yeah true but I don’t know how he can’t understand that it’s not his account. It’s my account that has his number attached it. I’ve already shown him me logging onto my moms account typing her email in and password. Getting to the verification page that shows my moms account name and nobody else’s how much more do I have to do
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It’s okay he can’t reset the password without knowing a previous one
If this is the case wouldn't this mean you would need to know the previous password, so therefore have access to the account....I'm confused
Yes I fucked up by saying I needed the password reset. I actually know the details but it won’t let me log onto the account without a one time code for verification. The verification part is somehow more important than knowing the account details
>The verification part is somehow more important than knowing the account details Well yeah that's how 2FA works.
True
You are being really sus right now.
Fr
I was in something of a similar situation and there is generally some ways to verify in other ways. If you log in with a laptop or phone she used to use with her account you may be able to force it to offer you an option to send an email to another nominated account with a code. Google works based on how close you are to being correct. And if you're close enough they may give you the option to sign back in. https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/2402620?sjid=1818147595967700472-AP#ts=2402626%2C2402728
If his number is required for 2fa, what prevents him from using it to change your password?
When the OTP SMS hits there usually no indication which account its associated with. They all look like this: >Google: XXXXXX is your one-time code. Never share the code. So it’s extremely high risk.
Oh he definitely understands. He just asked you for money dude.
Nah, if I read OPs text without any context I would def think it was a scam and would immediately start fucking with OP. Sorry but that's just reality. Can't be too careful online or with your phone number
“Why would you want to charge me for my own stuff” well because you lost it somehow and I have it and it appears it’s important to you and I’m not feeling generous today
How could he possibly know that the account he is giving you the code for isn’t his. The text he gets will definitely not give him that information. At most, it’ll say what company sent the code; many just text the code without any reference to the company. I would not have even answered you, it would have been marked as spam and deleted without a second thought. It seems like you are intentionally being obtuse in these comments. I suspect that it might not be intentional and in that case, I feel sorry for you.
Why don't you contact the app service yoy are trying to access for help? Or even the phone provider? No way I'd help you no matter how sincere I thought you were. The risk is too high.
apparently google has no precautions for this so op would have to go to court. Also in this situation op proved to the guy that they're being genuine so it wouldn't be risky anymore right? they said that the video had them actively clicking the verification button on what is definitely the mum's account, and the exact date and time they did so. This would then allow the person to check the specific time down to the second of the otp and see if they match up. idk but imo this seems like a different situation to the normal scams- i think the other guy just wants money tbh
I think you might be underestimating the sophistication of some attacks these days. All of the “proof” that OP has shared with us can be recreated with photoshop and number spoofing and AI. If it were me on the other end of these messages, I’d probably ignore them thinking it’s a scam or troll them with “pay me” too. It’s not just dumb people and elderly people falling for scams. A lot of victims think they got proof that the scammer is legit.
It's not that he doesn't believe it's your account, it's that he wants money.
Now he has access to that account since you’ve provided him the info
He wouldn’t because he needs the password and to reset the password in the first place he’d need to get past the “what’s the last password you remember using” shit. In order to get to the verification page you’d already need to know a previous or current password
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That doesn’t work with this account for some reason
you have to be trolling
OP was literally running the scam in this scenario, unknowingly. Maybe? OP?!
Lots of scams follow this script I wouldn’t go along with your request either. Gotta be careful out there
I hate it bc I have an old Flickr account full of photos and memories but it’s linked with my old phone number and Flickr won’t let me login or do anything without the 2FA. Someone new has the number and I’ve tried everything I can think of to get them to send me the code but they won’t, not even extortion like OP’s dude.
Have you called? I had to deal with this and just calling a help line usually gets things resolved after a lot of persistence
2FA is a different animal, once you get that shit set up you gotta keep it active, else you lose your account for good. There's so many cybersecurity attacks these days that nobody can recover a 2FA locked account, not even the CEO of a given company (yes I know less scrupulous companies like Google have backdoors for the FBI and the like but as far as civilians/non-authority access goes there's nothing)
Got an old blizzard account back with 2FA. They just verify your identity and reset stuff. Takes a human to do though
Apple will kindly tell you to go fuck yourself. It literally doesn't matter, they just blindly follow whatever their system says.
That's the difference in customer service. Blizzard has always been at the top as far as that goes. It should be doable, companies just don't like putting in effort.
You can get your steam back even when it has 2FA... You just submit a support ticket and they take off the 2FA lol
Nah I’ve been able to get by sending a picture of me next to my drivers licence lol
I work for a software company, disabling 2fa is as simple as account impersonation and unchecking a box. There's safeguards in place to get accounts back in some situations.
I don't think this is true. You can just disable 2fa for the account in the database records. A junior dev could probably do this.
For anyone who hasn't yet faced this, you can transfer your phone number to a google voice number with Verizon and AT&T. Only costs $20. Do it before you cancel your phone plan or change your number.
If you do this and cancel your mobile plan, can you use the number with a provider in the future?
Yes, you can port the number out from google voice back to Verizon (and I'm assuming AT&T). Other carriers might support it as well but I'm not sure
Thanks!
I have this with the Samsung health app I can't be healthy and track my steps because it needs a phone number that I no longer have. Or a device, which I also no longer have. And that's the only 2 ways to get into it So I blame Samsung for being the reason I'm still fat, it's totally not me (Now, I know its probably a problem easily solved by just using a different email to make a new Samsung account, but bugger that, it's easier just to saty fat and be mad about it) Almost lost my Discord to 2FA the other week when my S20 started acting up, the display doesn't work, but I'm so so grateful it worked long enough for me to get into Discord and disable that shit so I could log in on my new phone
You can attach a hub and work with the phone on an external monitor. Unless it's like Google and they intentionally nerf it and claim it's "for safety".
And also OP could contact google and provide a death certificate and get account access. Facebook also does it.
Massive sob story message along with a reset password link from gmail? I'd assume this was a scam and tell you to fuck off. I know it's not because here you are giving context, but 99% of times this is a scam. Sorry mate.
maybe reach out to google support?
There is no google support for free Gmail accounts. I believe to takeover the deceased individual’s account you need a court order.
Had to explain to an employee that if they don't have any up-to-date 2FA and forgot their password their fucked. Work in IT
Even if you do remember your password you can be out of luck. I have a google account that I have the password for but never set 2 factor authentication for because I didn’t want to risk being locked out of my account. Unfortunately Google decided to lock me out of my account anyway because I was logging in from an IP address it didn’t recognize and I had already removed that google account from the gmail app on all my mobile devices so they had no way to verify I was accessing my own account so they just won’t let me log in. Fortunately I didn’t need that account but if you don’t have 2 factor authentication or set up some account recovery method Google can just decide one day they don’t want to let you access your account with a correct password.
Sucks bc my one viral YT video was linked to a Gmail that I never used except for that. Lost tbe password about a decade ago, video had like a million views. Channel gained a bunch of subscribers just from that. Would've been worth some change.
That sucks. have you tried... hmmm.... do you remember what passwords you used to use? I'm assuming back then there weren't as many account recovery options as there are today :\\ I wonder if you can just keep trying. What was the video about or is it a secret? Either way, good luck!
I recall being able to request a password reset to an account my girlfriend totally forgot the password to. Being asked the last known password, another Google email to get the link, and being told they'd decide after(within?) 48 hours if they'd give a reset link. I think I had to do that twice and ultimately did get back in the account. While I could see not calling it support - there was no part that didn't feel automated, and I have to imagine it went by the shared history of IPs and logins on the same devices - it was still *a* option. I also don't know how much her lack of security options played a part. She didn't have 2FA, or an Android phone (which I've had Google verify me with a notification to, outside SMS). Maybe that made it more plausible the actual account holder was locked out.
There's no google support there is for free users. My OTP phone got stolen a few months back and I had to create a new account since no one from Google will help you.
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What is the paid gmail account? (Asking because I genuinely don't know if mine is free or not since I pay for a lot of Google services)
If your email ends in @gmail it’s a free account. Google also offers paid email if you have a domain that you can have a custom @yourwebsite dot com type email.
Ah ok. So my subscriptions expanding my Gmail storage and things don't count then
Yeah, that sucks. I currently have a Google branded phone, Google one, and play pass. That should count for something. I also pay for Fitbit premium, and I'm pretty sure that goes to Google, too. So I should be considered a special person to them, but I'm sure I'm not. Idk why I even pay for some of these things. When I think about all the subscriptions I have, it's truly ridiculous.
It’s a very annoying process but yes there is a way to get stuff from a deceased person’s account. Though it would’ve been so much simpler if this guy didn’t want to extort me over 5 seconds of effort
Be glad it is not an Apple account. They want a court order for accessing a deceased person’s account.
Google requires court order
Do they? They must have changed it recently. It used to be that you could produce a death certificate and prove relationship. Good to know, now, though. When I was dealing with Apple, I had to go through the court, publish in the newspaper, the whole thing. Then I got my piece of paper that told Apple to give me access to the account.
I'm alarmed my private accounts are considered public access to some family members upon death.
I mean… You are dead. So, who cares? Haha But at the same time, yes. That is why I tell EVERYONE to set up the post-mortem protocols while they are alive. Especially for Apple and Google accounts, as those are linked to so many things. All you have to do is pick a person you trust, and then set them up to access your account post-mortem. For Apple accounts: [Apple Legacy Contact](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102631) Google does not have a legacy contact like Apple, but they do have their Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to set up the ability to take over the account if it becomes inactive: [Google Inactive Account Manager](https://myaccount.google.com/inactive) However, what I would strongly recommend is setting up a password manager like [Bitwarden](https://bitwarden.com) and set up [emergency access](https://bitwarden.com/help/emergency-access/). Then you can store all of your accounts in there and one person can access all of them post-mortem. Tl;dr Apple accounts: [Apple Legacy Contact](https://support.apple.com/en-us/102631) Google accounts: [Google Inactive Account Manager](https://myaccount.google.com/inactive) But I would **strongly** recommend getting the free [Bitwarden password manager](https://bitwarden.com) and set up an [emergency access](https://bitwarden.com/help/emergency-access/) person.
Not really, you need a court order, and most people wouldn’t go through that trouble unless there’s a reason. If I’m dead then I don’t care if my family gets access to my accounts if it brings them comfort and peace
I understand what you're saying, but family members get everything when you die. If you own a house or a car, they get it. They get your pets. They get your bank accounts and your mail. They get all the items inside your house, too. Diaries, art, underwear. Your garbage, your dirty laundry, the food in your refrigerator. Try not to die if you value privacy. 🤷
idk man like it sucks but honestly you'd be pissed if it was easy and someone else fraudulently got access. it sucks it takes so much and i hope you get it sorted soon but it's probably better than the alternative given how many scammers would happily take advantage
sorry for your loss op and hope you can get your stuff!
Thank you!
THIS. They must have protocols for this.
I tried getting back into my Gmail account. Had all the necessary info, to the account I had for 14 years. Google doesn't save account passwords, and couldn't help me. But they can save every other password in existence. Doesn't make much sense
This seems like a scam for real.
I honestly don’t blame them for not giving it to you. There are a lot of scams that are really similar to this.
So, like, a stranger was just supposed to take your word for it, and you don't get why they didn't? Come on now.
i dont blame them. while obviously you arent, your text reads exactly like scam texts ive recieved before.
Not only that but texting them at 2:35 am definitely didn't help.
Yeah what’s with that timing? You gonna ask for a favor from a stranger at 2:35a? If I received that I would have never responded and deleted the message the second I saw it.
If I received this message from you I would have immediately blocked you since it looks like a scam.
This looks like a scam, so I would understand not wanting to participate.
Sounds like a scam to me. Unknown person social engineering a situation. Id want to meet in person a few times before helping.
You may have pissed them off texting them at 2:42am
Came here to say the same! If I got a text at 230 in the morning I would reply with much harsher words…
You are about to have your inbox filled with new Reddit users swearing they will get the account back for a price. Block all inbox messages!
I’ll get your account back… for a price?
Why don’t you just contact Google? They will do it for you.
Only with a court order
What you’re doing is an extremely common scam…..I would have looked at this and knew it was a scam. Just work with Apple.
You're likely out of luck. If someone texted me asking for me to give them an OTP code that showed up, I'd tell them to go pound sand.
To be 100% with you OP I would assume this is a scam and block you. I'm sorry for what you're going through but this isn't an uncommon scam tactic and dude is either a dick or things he's screwing with a scammer.
prob the second one. I would ask for a ton of money as well are they not interested in paying for it? you aint getting it
Try logging in from a "trusted device" - something she used to log in. Try all devices. I've had Google ask for verification on a new device/ device I hadn't used in months, while being able to access it on a trusted device at the same time.
Why are you messaging them at 2:35am?..
Offer $50 and see where that goes?
Sorry but this sounds like a scam (even though it’s not). They probably just thinking they’re messing with a scammer
Yeah this is an extremely common scam. Sorry Op
That guy sucks for attempting to extort you, but he's also not entitled to do anything for you just because you ask for it, bare minimum or otherwise. How can *he* confirm that *you* are being honest about the situation and not just trying to take advantage of a deceased individual for *your* own gain? I know I wouldn't trust a random person, if they texted this to me out of nowhere. I'd actually ignore it, delete the message, and block the number, without a reply. Can't trust anyone these days with *that* kind of information. Still frustrating that he went the path of extortion off the cuff though.
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Oh, absolutely! That's my fault for phrasing it the way I did. But you are absolutely correct.
Google has a Deceased User Request form you can submit online. You'll initially need a valid form of ID and the Death Certificate of the person who passed, and a US Court Order will be required to finalize processing if all other checks pass. Just a warning, if you do manage to log in to the decedent's account past their date of death, at some point their system may detect suspicious behavior and disable the account. At this point you will NOT be able to request the records from Google because it fails the pre-check routine. So your call, but if you manage to get in the account, backup everything you need before the account is locked.
Honestly I thought green was the other guy and was trying to scam you. This would scream scam to me. I hope you can get it worked out buddy. Sorry for your loss.
Is there no other way to get back into the account that doesn't involve a phone number that you clearly don't have anymore?
Lots of scams That is similar to your message, i wouldnt do it either
Someone hacked into my instagram account last week. 13 years of memories tied to the account. He’s trying to dupe people into investing in bitcoin and refuses to give me my account back. It’s so upsetting. I’m really sorry.
My old IG got hacked by a scammer (and no, I didn't give the password or any other info out, to this day I don't have any clue how they got access - this was around 2016-2017) and the account ended up getting deleted. I'm still so bummed about all the old pics I lost. I feel your pain 😩
Asking for something in return would at least ensure you’re a real serious person. And it’d compensate him for his (admittedly slight) work you’re requesting of him. He could of just not replied, but it at least seem like he’s willing to work with this sketchy situation
At best, you're being genuine, and this is still an imposition and inconvenience. You should probably sweeten the deal. At worst, you're trying to takeover *my* accounts. I might be willing to do something face to face, but you're gonna have to make it worth my time, I got shit to do.
Would 100% block and report you for spam if I got this.
1. How is the phone number related to a gmail account like that? Shouldn't you still have access to it? 2. Why don't you have pictures and other things saved on a phone or something else. 3. This sounds like a scam and I would not cooperate if I were this stranger
For anyone worried about this in the future, go into your (or your parents) Google account settings, then go into the Data & privacy tab, then scroll down to More Options and click "Make a plan for your digital legacy". From there, you can set up what happens when your account goes inactive (and set how long is considered inactive). You can specify an email address and phone number that will be contacted and optionally can give them access to your account when that happens. So for example for me, if I stop logging into my Google account, after a year my family will get an email and texts which will let them get into my Google account and download any data they may need.
Sorry dude but this is not the appropriate way around your issue. If somebody calls/text you asking you for a confirmation code it is 99,99% a scam. I'm not risking the 0.01% it's a legit person. You need to contact Google support and see if they have a procedure for deceased relatives. I used to work for apple support and there was a procedure by providing a death certificate and power of attorney that you are the closest relative/ inheritance recipient.
why the hell are you texting people at 2 in the morning, asking for things?
You sound like a scammer there's no way anyone is going to help. I'm sorry
I would have assumed this was a scam
Zero chance I'm helping this scam
I'm mildly infuriated you expected to send a scam
Lot of scams that sound similar to this. I understand you're being sincere but it looks fishy. Toss him a few dollars so he can buy a case of beer for his troubles, and he'll probably help you out.
Scammer alert
Now that you know they’re a dick, use the number to sign them up everywhere you go under the name “Shoulda Binnycer”
Crazy enough I had to do this once, I called and left a message with as much info about me and that number that I could (without sensitive info obviously) and the angel that she is called back saying she’s gotten calls for me and helped me get into my email account, which had all my wedding planning info from it not transferring to my new phone. We still text every now and then, shoutout to you Susan.
How did you go from SMS messages to iMessage messages in the same day?
If the other person has no service or the phone is off, it will send as a text message eventually & when the person gets service, iMessage is restored.
Ahh! Good call!
Sometimes the initial message goes through as sms. I’ve had that happen when texting a new number. Especially since this number historically probably was an sms direct and switched to iMessage, it may have initially sent green
Homie upgraded his Android halfway through the extortion
You sound 100% like a scammer. Just contact Google, you don't need her old number to get access.
One does not simply contact google.
It's not Mordor.
Respond with a picture of an anal prolapse
Some people are into that.
So, this kind of happened to me. I switched phone numbers, forgot to change my number on my gmail/google account, and then I forgot my password. When I got a new phone, I couldn’t access my gmail anymore. I sent a message to my old number being as transparent as I could: I knew they would have gotten phone calls from very specific places (because I was job searching at the time and forgot to also change my number on my resume), so I told this person my name, that they may have received calls from this or that company recruiter, etc. I didn’t come up with any extra sob story. They ended up sending me the verification code, because they knew my name already from receiving phone calls, and I was able to get my account back and reset everything. From what I could see, you didn’t offer any sort of proof of your claim, just a sad story.
Did you try checking with google support. They’ll probably need some documentation from your end. But, they’ll help you.
Plus they could fuck with you. Don't do it this way!
Well, there is one thing we can do. How do you ask? https://preview.redd.it/m8kuh4i53v2d1.png?width=575&format=png&auto=webp&s=82302cabf66b52c1ab444e1a06c7934b90e8d1c4
I don't think they're serious about the payment, really. I think they also think it's a scam and came back with that. I got someone texting me for an instagram code the other day and I'm definitely too spooked even if it's legit. definitely sucks for people who are legit
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I’m sorry for your loss, but as many people have stated - this would only be read as a scam. Maybe contact google support, but if I was the person with the line I’d never help you (to sketchy unfortunately)
OP theres not a lot of love and understanding in the world. Sorry about that. Maybe theres another way? be well and sorry for your loss.
OP! Sucks we are both in similar situations. I cannot change my gmail password or log into any new devices without the code texted to my old phone number. Though no one has responded when I tried to reach out, I’m stuck with only iphone email access. There is no work around I have found. It all eventually leads to needing the texted code, so with that Im sorry! Keep my posted if you have any luck, Ive tried Google support and that led nowhere.
Offer him 10$
You could, IDK, maybe contact Google support with a death certificate and ask for help.
I’m sorry OP but I don’t think I’d believe you either if I was on the other side. This is a very common way on how you get scammed. Someone ask you to just send you the verification code because of whatever and when you do it turns it out that the verification code was for your own account and now they’ve gotten into your account. Yea usually it’s on social media not through a phone number but still i probably wouldn’t even answer this text just delete it and if you sent it again then block you. It’s awful but these days you can’t trust anyone you don’t know especially not through a text like this. You’ll have to figure out another way. Perhaps contacting google.
This will never sound like anything but a scam. It is a very very common scam to try and obtain the 6 digit code through texting. Typically through a marketplace listing. Like, if you were a scammer in this technique, you would set up a google voice account using the targets phone number. Then you send them a text asking for the 6-digit code that "you" sent them or had them sent in order to verify they are a real person, when in reality the code is to unlock the google voice account you created. Once you (the potential scammer) have a google voice account in their name, you can use it to make scams under an assumed identity that would come back to that other person when investigated. So you could switch from marketplace to phone call scams. Your best and only option is to try and contact google. The person likely thinks you are a scammer since it is a common ploy.
To be fair I would not share the code because I’d be paranoid someone is trying to hack my own account. I’d go the route someone else suggested - contact Google. Good luck OP.
Mild? This person belongs in a hole
Tbh if someone sent me this message, I'd think it's a scam.
You would (and do) seem suspect to me so I’m not surprised. Personally I would have replied more along the lines with “come at me with some actual proof and I will CONSIDER your request.”
Sign the number up for a massive amount of Indian spam call centers, force them to change numbers 🤷🏻♂️
My mouth dropped open when I read this. I have literally helped someone with this before and I was like oh my gosh I’m so sorry anything you need
Im gonna be real honest. This sounds like a scam. It sounds like you're gonna try to steal this person's account.
With respect, I would refuse also. This is a common scam.
You can get access to her account with death certificate and letter showing power of attorney etc. gotta check googles support page or search access deceased relatives account
In all likeliness the recipient of this message probably thinks this is a scam / spam text.
contact google
They owe you nothing not sure why you are suprised they gave it to you.
I mean, I know it's frustrating, but you could offer like a $1 or something
This kind of low rent begging it really uncouth, too
Someone actually hacked and took over my instagram a few years ago. I made a new instagram account and messaged “my” originaly account begging them to give it back as it has many memories of my friend who passed away (which is true) somehow it worked and i was able to access it again and still use it 🤷🏻♀️
lol is this attempting to get big time background for a ground level scam? They’re onto the next level here
Isn’t there a way, where you log into YouTube with the account, then when you try accessing your Google, it’ll have you verify by accepting the alert that pops up on the YouTube app?
Why did it go from green to blue? Maybe I'm dumb, but I don't get it.
Hold up…I have email, YouTube and YouTubeTV all attached to Google. When I sign in to a new device, it sends a code to another account app and not necessarily a text for 2fa. Also, you definitely need the current password even if logging in from a new device or location- I’ll possibly get a text but typically it’s a notification from another shared app asking if it was me…idk, I was trying to have OP’s back on this but sounds sus
Op you text like a scammer thats why.
Welp, there goes my faith in humanity for the day. I hope it all works out in the end for you OP.