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Overview

What is Tech Verification?

Tech Verification lets you confirm that the person contacting you is a real technician from your IT provider before you share information or give them access. Attackers often pose as IT staff to steal passwords or remote access, and this check stops that. You start the check yourself, so a caller cannot fake it. You request a 6-digit code, and the technician must read that code back to you. If they cannot, do not continue and report the contact to your IT provider.

When to verify a technician

Verify every time a technician contacts you and asks to connect to your computer, reset a password, or share or request sensitive information. Do it even if the name or phone number looks familiar, because caller ID and email addresses can be faked. Your IT provider will tell you which option they have turned on. You only need one:

Verify by text message

  1. From your mobile phone, text #verify to the verification number your IT provider gave you. Save the number in your contacts so your phone does not flag it as spam.
  1. Wait for a reply with a 6-digit code.
  2. Ask the technician to read the code to you.
  3. Compare it with the code on your phone. If they match, the technician is verified and you wills end #confirm.

Verify with the website widget

  1. Open your IT provider’s verification page, usually named “Verify My Tech”.
  2. Enter your name in the widget.
  1. Note the 6-digit code it shows you.
  1. Ask the technician to read the code to you. It must match the one on your screen.
  2. Once Verified, you will see the following:

Verify in the client portal

  1. Open your company’s client portal in Teams or your web browser.
  2. Select the small shield in the top-right corner to Verify Technician.
  1. Ask the technician to read the code to you, and check that it matches the one in the portal.
  2. Continue only once the code matches or the portal shows a success message.

Never share the code yourself

The technician reads the code to you, never the other way around. If a caller asks you to read out or send a code, that is a warning sign. Hang up and contact your IT provider using a number you already know.

The technician cannot read the code or it does not match

Stop the call and do not give access or information. Report it to your IT provider using a phone number or email you already have, not one the caller gave you.

I texted #verify but got no reply or an error message

Check that you sent exactly #verify to the right verification number, with nothing else in the message. A different message gets an automatic reply asking you to try again. If you still get no reply, use the website widget or portal instead.

The code does not seem to work

Codes are short-lived and a new request creates a new code. Start the check again and use the newest code.

Do I need to verify every time?

Yes. Each contact from a technician is a new check. A past verification does not carry over to the next call.

Need Help?

Contact your IT provider’s service desk if verification fails, you do not know your verification number, or you are unsure which option to use. Always use contact details you already have on file.