Posted on 19/10/23 12:04 pm
When a scammer wants to set up an account on Amazon, Discord, or a variety of other online services, sometimes an obstacle in their path is SMS verification. The website will prompt them to enter a phone number to receive a text message, which they must then input back into the site. Sites often employ this measure to prevent individuals from creating fraudulent accounts in bulk.
However, fraudsters can turn to large-scale, automated services to rent phone numbers for less than a cent. One of these services is 5SIM, a website mentioned by members of the video game cheating community as a way to fulfill the requirement for SMS verification.
"I used 5SIM too. I have a number for every region," one member of a Telegram group focused on online video game cheating wrote. Video game cheaters sometimes need to either purchase or create accounts, allowing them to swiftly switch to a new account when a game bans them. Some people also sell phone-verified accounts in bulk.
Do you know of any other similar virtual phone companies? Are you affiliated with one? We would appreciate hearing from you. Using a non-work phone or computer, you can securely contact Joseph Cox on Signal at +44 20 8133 5190, Wickr at josephcox, or via email at joseph.cox@smspinverify.com.
On its website, 5SIM states, "Today, many websites require an SMS verification code for account registration. If you prefer not to use your personal phone number for verification or account activation, use the phone number provided by 5SIM. In this way, there is no need for a SIM card in your mobile phone; you only need internet access." Users can choose phone numbers from around the world.
Several YouTube videos uploaded by the company explain how people can explicitly use its service to navigate the SMS verification process on various sites. These videos include specific instructions for PayPal, Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, and the dating site Plenty of Fish.
Instagram informed Motherboard that it is concerned about websites suggesting people use services to bypass Instagram's security measures and exploit the platform. Instagram uses SMS verification to prevent the creation of fake accounts and facilitate account recovery.
"We have many measures in place to guard against scripted account creation and block millions of fake accounts during registration every day," an Instagram spokesperson said.