# US Sim Card



## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

More and more frequently I am having trouble with US banks wanting to send me a security code.
I have a magic jack device which has a US number but it seems sometimes I can get a code texted to their app running on my Mexican cell phone, but often I cannot.

I'm sure a lot of you travel back and forth to the US and have two sims.

What do you think of something like this to solve my dilema ?
https://www.amazon.com.mx/SpeedTalk...1653000732&sprefix=us+sim+card,aps,203&sr=8-2

"A US phone number is automatically generated when you activate service "

Or is there another alternative ? Can the google phone offering accept bank security texts ?


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Well the reviews for that item I posted are pretty bad - so that does not look like an option.

From the little reading I have done it looks like you need to setup Google Voice from within the US (not over a VPN)

After a 30+ year long relationship I _may_ have to find an alternative to Bank of America (while I live in Mexico).


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## Bobbyb (Mar 9, 2014)

I have the same problem with Wells fargo. They will not send a message to anywhere outside the US. I tried a virtual us number and magic jack, Nada. This is getting to be a problem with 2 step verification. My Canadian bank gives me an email option.


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## Takingiteasy (Aug 12, 2021)

@MangoTango, do you have a friend in the states who would help? Give them your friends number and they can receive the code and just text it to you and you call the bank back if there was something that needed to be worked out.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

I've purchased a new laptop and I was trying to log into the Bank of America website for the first time using this laptop. They insist on sending a code either by text or phone call - but I have had no luck getting it to work using my MagicJack phone. I don't know how I came upon it, but I found this information on the BofA website :

Online Banking Security Features FAQs - Bank of America Security Center

"USB security keys are an optional alternative to SMS-based one-time security codes if you do not have access to a U.S. mobile phone number or can't receive texts to your phone. "

So then I went to Amazon Mexico and found one of these gizmos for 500 pesos.

https://www.amazon.com.mx/FIDO-Llave-seguridad-Trustkey-FIDO2/dp/B086QTS5YM/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_es_MX=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=2L3YVR3FYSLOP&keywords=FIDO+Llave+de+seguridad+Trustkey+T110+FIDO2&qid=1657326957&s=electronics&sprefix=,electronics,1744&sr=1-1

Apparently these sites which have the "remember this computer" feature use an Adobe Flash capability to store Shared Objects to the hard drive - much like a 'cookie'. The problem with that is if you cleanup your hard drive those shared objects are erased.

I have no idea what other US financial institutions allow this technology - but for BofA anyway it appears to be a nice alternative. Let's hope it works as advertised.

Edit : It would appear Wells Fargo also uses this technology...

The FIDO Alliance Welcomes Wells Fargo Bank! - FIDO Alliance


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## dvinton (Mar 8, 2019)

“They insist on sending a code either by text or phone call - but I have had no luck getting it to work using my MagicJack phone.”

There is one more option. On the Verify Your Identity page (the one that wants to text/call) there’s a link near the bottom, “Having trouble receiving your code by phone?” When I click this link the Verify Your Identity page reports an email address an authorization code will be sent.

Have you tried this?


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

I don't recall seeing that option. BUT - what financial institution do you have in mind AND what is your street address on file with that institution. I believe in _my_ situation the email option is not an option. 

I also noticed that when my little USB device arrives (probably in 3-4 days) part of the 'install' procedure is to verify myself using an SMS message. Boy - that is a little convoluted... I've got a feeling I'll need to ask the BofA security team for a little help at some point...


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

For whatever reason, this afternoon Bank of America just let me login directly to my account, on my new laptop. No prompt at all for anything other than my normal login credentials. I was hoping to confirm that email is not an option for me. But I remember once where I had to escalate to a manager and to get me going she personally sent the security code to my Mexican number because there was no other way.


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