How to get SMS texts from overseas (UK)?

[Brisketexan 105142]

So, in the finishing stages of opening up a UK bank account, a requisite for a transaction we're trying to undertake.  And....it has been the most absolutely maddening experience of my life.  To register for banking (you know, so you can do bank things....like send and receive money), every single road ends with "we'll send you an authentication code via SMS message."  The only problem is, I don't get their SMS messages.  Any of them.  Some things, they can send me via email - I get those right away.  But for this, ALL ROADS end in "SMS message," and they flat-out don't show up.

I've spent literally hundreds of dollars on long distance with them trying to come up with a solution (yeah, like hell they have a toll-free international number to call)....but again, all those solutions end at the same place.  Now, after digging into this online, it appears to be an issue with my carrier, ATT.  I did the one "fix" that was suggested (reset network settings), it didn't do the trick.  I'm down to the workaround of giving them my neighbor's Verizon number, and sitting down with him to activate my account.  Seriously, I think that may be my path.

But I'm asking here as well -- has anyone else experienced such an issue, and are you aware of any workarounds?

This has been the single most frustrating customer experience of my life.  No matter how I initially verify my identity -- all my info typed in, or facial recognition and Passport....they all end at "cool, last step: here comes your code via SMS!"

[Brisketexan 105142]

And....finally resolved it.  For fuck's sake.

Two weeks (why that long?  Because when you update your info in their system, it takes 2-3 days to reset, so you have to wait that long to re-try).  SIX different lengthy phone calls.  Every one of them making the point that SMS being a route to authentication was a dead-end.  Finally got a GUY on the line today, explained the problem again.  He figures out -- "hey, why don't we delete your phone number from the system altogether, that way none of the programs will try to go that route -- they'll default to sending you everything via email [which works fine for me]."  He deletes my phone number.  I try to log in and create my account profile....and it says "okay, sending a code to your email now."  Which it does. And I'm in, and ready to go.

In other words, a fix was there all along.  But I sure as hell didn't know how their system worked....and after spending a fortune on the phone, finally got someone who 1) knew the system well enough to 2) creatively problem-solve.

Jesus monkeyshitting Christ, why does all this shit have to be so damned hard? 

[Dbeasy 15051]

I’m sure your payment for your mail order bride from Chechnya will go thru with no problems. 

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

Do you know why it is supposedly an issue with AT&T?

I’m in the midst of trying to get a foreign residency visa and part of the process will involve a bank and other entities likely to use this method. 

[Brisketexan 105142]

10 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

I’m sure your payment for your mail order bride from Chechnya will go thru with no problems. 

DEPOSIT, not payment.  They don't get paid in full until delivery is made.

What, you think I'm some sorta amateur here?

4 minutes ago, Doc Daneeka said:

Do you know why it is supposedly an issue with AT&T?

I’m in the midst of trying to get a foreign residency visa and part of the process will involve a bank and other entities likely to use this method. 

I truly don't know - just read enough online to find out that it's apparently a known issue, and remains unresolved.  I've gotten SMS texts from non-US numbers before (although nowadays, all of our foreign text convos are via WhatsApp), but it's been a long time.  I may have my son try to text me from his UK number, and the daughter from her Swedish number, to see if it's across the board, or just UK numbers.  I'll let you know what turns up, but yeah....be prepared for this, and maybe let counterparts know beforehand that SMS isn't a viable option.

[Brisketexan 105142]

Update: had the boy send me a test from his UK number.  It worked just fine.  Maddening, no idea why the bank one wouldn't work, but we honestly tried it probably 40 times over the past two weeks, never went through.

[Doc Daneeka 6769]

Fair enough. 

I suppose I’ll eventually end up with at least a prepaid foreign number, so maybe it will come down to that or no associated phone number at all. 

I’ve seen some people having the problem resolved with a “back office” ticket, so it does sound like a carrier thing rather than a missing international code or some such. As if there aren’t enough hoops and issues.

[gsoda3 3262]

what bank are you using?  i get text messages from hsbc uk just fine. 

[tx 3 putt 76958]

5 hours ago, Doc Daneeka said:

Do you know why it is supposedly an issue with AT&T?

 

Pay 

Your 

Bill 

!

[Brisketexan 105142]

what bank are you using?  i get text messages from hsbc uk just fine. 

Same bank. I don’t get it, but they never come through from them.

[Bevo 13577]

On 5/26/2023 at 2:16 PM, Brisketexan said:

Update: had the boy send me a test from his UK number.  It worked just fine.  Maddening, no idea why the bank one wouldn't work, but we honestly tried it probably 40 times over the past two weeks, never went through.

Did you put a 1 before the number?

[Brisketexan 105142]

2 hours ago, Bevo said:

Did you put a 1 before the number?

Man, we did ALL of the possible permutations (+1, +001, etc.).  And it's HSBC -- they have more than a few US numbers in their contact system, they know how to send info to US numbers.  That's why it's been so maddening - it would be one thing if it was a simple flub like that, but we double and triple checked, and even tried different permutations.  Nada.

[gsoda3 3262]

10 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Same bank. I don’t get it, but they never come through from them.

that's strange.  instead of using your neighbor's number why don't you use your google voice number? (i'm assuming you've claimed a google voice number, they're free)

[Brisketexan 105142]

1 minute ago, gsoda3 said:

that's strange.  instead of using your neighbor's number why don't you use your google voice number? (i'm assuming you've claimed a google voice number, they're free)

I have not done so.  I probably should.  I already use my gmail email account for such things, as it doesn't filter/block ANYTHING, so I can get stuff that way.  I don't use it for much else, so it doesn't get very cluttered.

[Bevo 13577]

Is HSCB Chinese government owned? 

[gsoda3 3262]

27 minutes ago, Bevo said:

Is HSCB Chinese government owned? 

HSBC is a UK bank.  always have been always will be.  HSBC UK is part of the HSBC group and is owned by the UK based group.  Part of the HSBC group also includes HSBC China which most people think of when they hear "HSBC" and that is owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank group which is Chinese.  clear as mud.

[Bevo 13577]

15 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

HSBC is a UK bank.  always have been always will be.  HSBC UK is part of the HSBC group and is owned by the UK based group.  Part of the HSBC group also includes HSBC China which most people think of when they hear "HSBC" and that is owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank group which is Chinese.  clear as mud.

Basically. HSBC China is owned by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank group which is Chinese owned and the HSBC Group which is UK owned?

[beer 3220]

I wont be using HSBC then.  Just got my Irish passport and about to open an account - guess I'm gonna need a separate EU phone/number to do this.  That sounds expensive. 

[1978horn 892]

I bet it has to do with the new rules that the FTC implemented.  If you want some fun reading then google 10DLC.  Phone numbers need to be registered by the company that owns the number.  Some cellular carriers are following the rules and some aren't.

It is supposed to help SPAM texts.

[Sam Lin 3559]

CSB tangent:

HSBC had the only campus bank at RPI so had a stranglehold on the student population. Absolutely horrible service, zero attempt to help the customer, and endless rape on fees because they could. They definitely lost me for life in the first month.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Sam Lin

[gsoda3 3262]

34 minutes ago, Sam Lin said:

RPI

[Gil Bang 25959]

10 hours ago, beer said:

I wont be using HSBC then.  Just got my Irish passport and about to open an account - guess I'm gonna need a separate EU phone/number to do this.  That sounds expensive.