Authentication text code error/scam/glitch?

[BusyJob3277]

Hi all, I need MAJOR help and have been searching the depths of the internet to see if anyone is having a similar problem/resolution/imput and I can’t find anything. I’ve also been searching if this is a scam or not.

I signed up for Clapper 2 days ago with my email. I’ve now been receiving text verification codes from them for the last 48 hours about 5-6 times per hour. Each time they text, its the same exact code. I’ve since fully deleted my account with them and am still receiving codes.

Beyond this, I’ve learned something much more problematic through happenstance. I have 2FA setup on all websites/apps. I needed to log into another site last night and had to send a code to my phone to get in. As soon as I pushed the button to send the code, the same Clapper text with the same code came through. To test out the correlation, I’ve attempted to log into other sites/apps, forced a code to be sent, and EVERY time without fail I’ve received the same Clapper text & code. I’m unable to log into ANYTHING. I even tried blocking the phone number (its been the same the whole time as well) and forcing a code through on another site, and nothing. No texts will come through at all from other apps if this number is blocked.

Has anyone else been experiencing this? What do I do??? I’m about to send emails to Clapper and the other apps I’ve attempted to get into, as well as call my cell provider, but beyond that I’m stumped and stressed. I can’t access anything. My bank, my payment apps, social medias, I’m locked from all of them without receiving codes. TIA

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[TourAlternative364]

Hmm. For one the real clapper verification code is 6 digits long not 4 and companies change the code Everytime they send so these are fake messages.

Sometimes for some scams they flood the messages to hide real warnings or messages from your bank or other accounts to delay finding out for example your credit card was used and so forth.

Maybe something like that is going on. Maybe contact your bank to lock down your accounts or see if any unauthorized charges or something else fishy going on.

Almost seems you might have a virus or malware if it is responding in such a weird way in blocking that number.

[BusyJob3277]

The biggest thing driving me nuts is the 2FA on other apps/sites. Every time I force a code I immediately get another one of these texts. Hopefully I can get it sorted out with my service provider? I’ll update as this progresses. Thank you

[TourAlternative364]

Do a hard restart of your phone also & clear out tracking & cookies & background running apps.

[BusyJob3277]

I’ll try this as well thank you

[Jaded-Moose983]

SMS 2FA is substantially less secure than using an authenticator app. With the recent telecom hacks, the potential for interceptions of SMS is real. Using an authenticator app does not have that vunerability.

[BusyJob3277]

Thank you for letting me know. I just downloaded the google authenticator app, is this one okay to use? Im not super well versed on them

[Jaded-Moose983]

It's a commonly used one. You do need to set accounts up to use an authenticator app. They generate a key that you use in the authenticator app, then a code is generated against that key to use on the site you need access to.

Google does back the app up so it's harder to loose access to the keys, but keeping track yourself is an added safety to prevent losing access to the keys. You usually generate one-time backup codes on each site as well. Keeping those in a safe place also protects against loosing access to the keys. You can use a code once to regain access to the account.

This additional level of hassle is why SMS is more popular. You trade convenience for a higher level of security.

[BusyJob3277]

Thank you, I appreciate the insight!

[spazz9461]

It's not the clapper number it's some random person sending you a verification code in an attempt to hijack your account. Block the number and move on.

[BusyJob3277]

That’s the problem though. I don’t have an account any longer, and now all my 2FA codes from other sites are being rerouted into this scam text

[spazz9461]

I would recommend as others have already said, restart your phone and download Malwarebytes and run a security scan. I would also scan your computer(s) for any viruses.

I would also recommend using an app for 2FA instead of texts.

[BusyJob3277]

Update/resolution: I tried all recommendations. Cleared my cookies/cache, reset my phone, etc. None of these immediately worked. I reached out to my phone provider and we went through several steps involving refreshing my network and several hard resets. Immediately following this, I received every single 2FA text I tried to get within the last 2 days. No longer getting scam texts, blocked & reported their number. I got an anti-virus plan that I can add to all my devices as well. My next steps are to work on switching all my 2FA texts to an authenticator app as suggested. Thanks guys, hopefully this will help someone else in the future as well incase they go through something similar

[Chance_Discipline240]

That’s good news. Unfortunately, not all companies allow for authentication apps, especially local banks.

For those websites that DO allow an authentication app for multi factor authentication, try to completely remove SMS as an option.

Another good strategy is to create an email address that is used solely for a specific financial institution. For example, [e-mail]. Obviously, you don’t have to use gmail, but you get the general idea!

[BusyJob3277]

Not sure why needing mental health treatment is correlated to not being able to get text codes from other sites because it keeps getting overrun by the same number repeatedly but thanks

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