single use code

Question

Hi,

     Both myself and my wife have received the message below, advising we have requested a single use code to use with our Microsoft accounts. 

      Neither of us have requested a single use code ?

Kind Regards

Terry Carson

Answer 1

Hi,

Several users have recently reported receiving unexpected Microsoft one-time codes or verification prompts even though they did not request them themselves. It seems to be caused by a temporary system glitch or sync issue where the system mistakenly triggers verification requests.

Regardless of the cause, I still recommend making sure your account is fully secured. Here are the steps you can follow:

• Change your Microsoft account password immediately and make sure it is strong and unique.

• Review your recent sign-in activity here to check for any unfamiliar login attempts:

https://account.microsoft.com/security

• If you notice any unfamiliar sign-in attempts from unknown locations or devices, select “This wasn’t me” on the activity page to report it to Microsoft.

As an additional security measure, you may also refer to this guide on keeping your Microsoft account secure:

https://support.microsoft.com/account-billing/how-to-help-keep-your-microsoft-account-secure-628538c2-7006-33bb-5ef4-c917657362b9

Answer 2

If neither of you requested a single-use or verification code, treat the messages as potential unauthorized access attempts or misdirected sign-in attempts.

Do the following:

1. Do not use or reply to the codes
   Do not enter the codes anywhere, and do not click any links in the messages.
2. Sign in directly to check account activity
   In a browser, manually enter https://account.microsoft.com or https://account.live.com and sign in to each Microsoft account.
   Check recent sign-in activity and security settings. If anything looks unfamiliar, change the password immediately and review security info.
3. Understand why you got the codes
   Unrequested codes can be sent because:
   • Someone is trying to access the account.
   • Someone mistyped their phone/email when trying to sign in.
   • A previously requested code was delayed and arrived later.
4. Strengthen account security
   • Turn on two-step verification if it is not already enabled.
   • Consider going passwordless (using Windows Hello, Microsoft Authenticator, SMS/Email codes, or security keys) to reduce reliance on passwords and improve security. See Go passwordless guidance in the referenced article.
5. If messages look suspicious
   • Genuine Microsoft security texts may come from short code 69525 or show "Microsoft" as the sender, and genuine links begin with aka.ms.
   • If unsure whether a message is genuine, ignore the message and always go directly to https://account.microsoft.com or https://account.live.com instead of using any link in the text.

If unrequested codes continue, update passwords and security info and monitor account activity more frequently.

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References:

• Why is Microsoft texting me?
• Troubleshoot Microsoft verification code issues