Can't redeem rewards because it requires phone number, and Microsoft keeps blocking me from adding my number

Anonymous
2023-11-18T09:14:16+00:00

I tried to redeem the Bing rewards which told me that I need to add my phone number. I clicked on the link provided on that page (Add your phone number), tried adding the number, and since then I'm getting blocked over and over again with the following message:

"Try another verification method That verification method isn't working right now. Please try another method."

I tried adding my other number and yet it kept blocking me. I don't recall violating the terms and conditions. I remember adding my phone number as the security info which I removed later, but that should not stop me from adding the other number.

Please help me with the following.

  1. Is there any other method to verify either of the numbers?
  2. Is it possible to redeem the rewards without needing a number? It is really important to me right now.

Edit: The issue has been resolved now.

Microsoft Edge | Other | Windows 10

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2023-11-20T05:41:50+00:00

The issue seems to be solved in this morning. Now I can add my phone number again. Thank you for support.

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-01T16:14:37+00:00

    Agreed. At least with MS Account support, it's been a live chat which has been helpful and allowed me to come to the conclusion this is all on the Bing Rewards side. They need to remove the requirement that you have to have a cell phone alias tied to your account. Just use the MS Authenticator or the SMS method. They use the SMS method at first, then they want to do it again via a cell phone alias. Really?

    I did submit a ticket to Bing Rewards explaining all this and requesting they remove the requirement of having to have a cell phone alias since MS Account Support is telling everyone not to use a cell phone alias anymore.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-04T17:58:03+00:00

    Well I just tried that and they told me that is impossible to use authenticator and it HAS to be a phone number. Told me to remove the number from my old Skype but I cant login to it because the email doesnt exist anymore. So they told me to request an account closure. And guess what, I cant make that request unless I log into the the account.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-04T18:19:39+00:00

    It's a complete mess. Also, one you're phone number has been used, you can never register it again for any account, even if you remove it and then try to add it back to the same account it was removed from. They keep it cached in a deleted state and they will never clear that cache. So once you use the number, you can use it again at all.

    I know I was able to add my wife's cell phone to my account because it was never added to any MS account. I removed it after redeeming a gift card, but then I couldn't add it back in, proving the point that you can add a cell phone back to the same account or any other account. MS Account support says they won't change that because they are not recommending that people use aliases anymore.

    The issue is all on MS Rewards relying on something the MS Accounts no longer supports. In fact, MS Accounts needs to remove that option from being selected, so change needs to occur on both sides.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-04T18:28:32+00:00

    Yeah I just sent another support ticket in explicitly asking for authenticator. So we will see if that gets me anywhere.

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