That 6-digit text code is the last lock on your account. When someone asks you to share it, they're not verifying you. They're logging in AS you, right at that moment.
Your bank will never call and ask for a code. Neither will Google, Amazon, or "fraud prevention." If someone asks for the code, a criminal is on your account's login page at that exact second, and the code is the only thing stopping them.
From a breach or phishing. They try to log in, and your two-factor code stops them cold. So far, the system works.
"This is your bank's fraud department. We've detected suspicious activity. To verify your identity, please read me the code we just sent." The code arriving makes them seem legit. It's actually their login attempt.
That code was the last lock. They change your password and recovery info within a minute, and now you're locked out of your own account.
Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist "buyers" say they'll send a Google Voice code "to make sure you're real." They're hijacking your number to run scams under your name.
Codes go into websites and apps, never into conversations. That's the whole rule.
Got a code you didn't request? Change that account's password. Your password has leaked.
Hang up on "fraud departments" and call the number on the back of your card.
Prefer authenticator apps over text codes where offered. Nothing to read out, harder to steal.
KCCS installs, secures, and watches business systems all over Southern Colorado. Get a free assessment — a real engineer walks your site and hands you a written punch list.
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