Calls from +18553308653 might be because someone is trying to use your phone number to setup a Microsoft account two factor authentication
Posted by jpluimers on 2019/02/18
Got some calls to my phone numbers in The Netherlands from +18553308653 that I did not ask for. The below searches revealed it is likely someone trying to use those to setup Two Factor Authentication.
It was not my live account, as that was already covered by the Microsoft Authenticator app (you can set up your phone number through account.live.com/names/Manage and authentication through account.microsoft.com/security, see steps at [WayBack] Microsoft – Authy).
Phone searches:
- [Archive.is] +18553308653 – Google Search
- [Archive.is] 0018553308653 – Google Search
- [Archive.is] 18553308653 – Google Search
All of these indicate the phone calls come from the Microsoft phone verification system.
Problems for me are that:
- this number is not prominently listed on the Microsoft site, so at first I did not trust it was theirs
- even outside the USA they use this number, but for other purposes they use more local numbers (for The Netherlands the SMS verification came from +447754836756)
- the SMS verification number is not listed on their site either, hardly any hits outside it as well: [Archive.is] +447754836756 – Google Search
–jeroen
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 
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