I keep getting emails for a single-use code.

Anonymous
2023-08-07T16:14:20+00:00

Hi,

I keep getting emails for a single use code in my email. I probably receive 10 emails a day for the past few weeks. And I haven't been trying to request a code.

Email says:

We received your request for a single-use code to use with your Microsoft account.

Your single-use code is: 4*****7

If you didn't request this code, you can safely ignore this email. Someone else might have typed your email address by mistake.

Thanks,

The Microsoft account team

It's quite annoying. The email sender is from ___@___.___

I would like to stop getting these emails as I'm not trying request a code.

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Account management, security, and privacy

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.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2023-08-07T16:45:37+00:00

Hello Priscilla_A,

Welcome to the Microsoft community.

I'm a Microsoft user like you, I hope you're doing well?

I understand how discomforting it can be to receive a one-time security code for your account when you didn't initiate.

However, it's a good idea to ignore this code if you haven't requested it.

One-time code is an essential security feature that prevents unauthorized access to your account. One-time code is required to access your account. These codes can be used only once and has expiration time for their usage.

You may receive one-time code emails if:

  1. Signing into your Microsoft account from a new device or browser.
  2. Resetting your Microsoft account password.
  3. Making changes to your Microsoft account security information.
  4. Signing into your Microsoft account from a new location.
  5. Unusual and suspicious activity is detected on your Microsoft account.

If someone mistakenly enters your account email ID, you can't stop them, that's out of your control (you don't know who it is), All you can do is ignore it, as suggested in the email.

The same applies if someone may be trying to intentionally access your Microsoft account, a one-time code is a security feature that prevents this unauthorised access.

You don't control the actions of others, hence you can't stop it.

If there was a way to stop it, Microsoft would state it in an email rather than suggesting you to ignore it any one-time code you did not initiate.

I will suggest you check your Microsoft account sign-in activity to make sure there are no unauthorised access. You can see a list of devices and browsers that have accessed your account recently.

Microsoft account management website: https://account.live.com/Activity

Here are a few things you can do to make your Microsoft account more secured:

  1. Create a strong password for your account
  2. Use the Microsoft Authenticator phone app to sign in without a password
  3. Make your account easier to recover
  4. Make sure your operating system has the latest updates
  5. Never reply to email asking for your password
  6. Check your recent activity
  7. Keep your devices safe

Click link below for more information:

https://support.microsoft.com/help/628538c2-7006-33bb-5ef4-c917657362b9

If you are receiving blackmail emails, please report this issue to the nearest authorities.

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Give back to the community, help the next person who has this problem by pointing out if this answer solved your problem. Click "Yes" or "No" below.

Warm Regards

Was this answer helpful?

500+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

137 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2023-12-19T15:21:59+00:00

    I guess Microsoft's attitude is that hackers won't be able to access your secondary accounts to get the code. Not sure of the level of risk, but certainly doesn't give me "warm fuzzies"

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2023-12-20T00:53:22+00:00

    100% agree. Surely if I log in from Australia 99% of the time and suddenly there are 6 attempts from Cyprus every day, that should throw up a red flag.
    No one has "...typed your email address by mistake."
    These people brute force huge numbers of email addresses and guess the code. If they try enough emails, they eventually get one right, and with someone's email, you can change passwords to a huge number of other services.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2023-12-22T07:22:22+00:00

    Hi Raymond,

    I have the same problem as OP too and when I checked my signed-in activity, there were several unsuccessful signed-in attempts from other countries which is not the one I am currently staying in. I have activated 2 face authentification since and I can see the attempts become lesser, but would you suggest I need to dump this account and open another one for safety?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Anonymous
    2023-12-24T19:41:47+00:00

    Like others posting here, I've been getting these annoying alerts multiple times per day for the past few months. I decided to look into the security options and found something that I'm hoping will work. Sharing so others can try it as well:

    1. Go to your Microsoft account settings and click on 'Security'
    2. in the dropdown menu, clock 'Additional security options'. This will open a new page, and you may be asked to enter your password again.
    3. At the top of the new page is a section titled "Ways to prove who you are". There will be a tab for "Email a code" and you will see your secondary email address listed. Click on this tab.
    4. There will be a "Receive alerts" toggle button. Mine was set to 'On' but clicking on it turns it 'Off'.
    5. If you have your phone number as a verification option, make sure "Receive alerts" is also turned off (because I'd expect spam text messages would ensue).
    6. I would suggest adding a "new way to sign in or verify" and using either Microsoft's authenticator app, or (my preference) Google Authenticator, just in case you actually do get locked out of your account in the future and need to verify your identity to restore access.

    My hope is that this will stop the spam notifications, since as others have pointed out it seems Microsoft has no intention of cracking down on access attempts that are clearly abnormal.

    Hoping this works for me, and potentially others as well!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments