Original link: https://www.barretlee.com/blog/2023/09/13/non-chinese-phone-checkcode-and-uk-giffgaff/
If you have registered and used ChatGPT, then you will have a deep understanding of the problem to be solved in this article. After logging in with your email when registering, OpenAI will ask you to bind a mobile phone number, and this mobile phone number is not allowed to be from mainland China. area, many people will get stuck at this step.
There are two ways to solve this problem. 1) Use the code receiving platform to temporarily rent a non-mainland mobile phone number to receive the verification code; 2) You can directly purchase a non-mainland mobile phone card. This article will tell you how to take these two paths respectively.
Code receiving platform
As the name suggests, a code receiving platform is a platform that can receive mobile phone verification codes. In fact, in China, there are huge legal risks in setting up a code receiving platform. Here is an article issued by the Procuratorate : “Criminal Characterization of the Behavior of Related Parties of the Code Receiving Platform” , you can refer to the summary as follows:
Relevant parties of the code receiving platform obtain a large number of mobile phone numbers and verification codes through the code receiving platform, and register and convert them into Internet accounts in batches, which continuously “transfuses blood and feeds” for the downstream black and gray industry and builds a good foundation for black and gray industry practitioners. A huge barrier to conceal one’s identity has great social harm and legal infringement. At this stage, criminal regulation of the behavior of relevant parties in the connection code platform still needs to be strengthened. By analyzing the subjects involved in the code connection, the operation process, etc., real-name cards and non-real-name cards can be distinguished, so as to accurately criminalize the behavior of relevant parties in the connection code platform.
The code reception platforms mentioned in this article are all foreign platforms. The code reception range is global mobile phone numbers. As a user, the main purpose is to register overseas products or applications.
There are countless code receiving platforms on the market. The two I usually use most are 5sim.net and sms-activate.org . They support mobile phone verification codes in 170+ countries around the world. Both platforms support recharge using credit cards or Alipay, and also support other ultra-rich payment methods:
If you use it frequently, you may consider recharging 5 to 10 US dollars to avoid having to frequently open Alipay to recharge in the future. It is also relatively simple to use. First select a service and then select a country. For example, if you want to register ChatGPT, select the OpenAI service, and then select a country number. The costs vary greatly in different countries. For example, the United States is much more expensive than India.
After selecting the number, you will see an interface waiting to receive the verification code. You can cancel the number selection before the verification code is sent. There is no charge at this time. The overall interaction is easy to understand and I won’t go into details here.
The only thing to note is that as long as the platform receives the verification code, the deduction will be completed , regardless of whether your registration or login is successful, and you cannot rent the same mobile phone number for a long time. All receiving codes are one-time use, so , for more sensitive accounts that require a long-term fixed mobile phone number for verification, do not use the code receiving platform.
Overseas mobile phone card
For platforms related to funds, credit, etc., it is more recommended to use numbers that remain unchanged for a long time. I have studied Google Voice, but I have seen many cases of failed account protection on the Internet. In addition, Google has recently made stricter adjustments to this area, and the probability of number loss is relatively high, so it is recommended to purchase a physical card.
The most common ones I found online were American Paygo, British giffgaff and New Zealand Skinny. For details, you can click on this post .
American card
There are several types of American cards, including Paygo, which is the cheapest, with a basic fee of $3 a month; and there is also the Orange Card, which has the advantage of unlimited calls, unlimited text messages and data Internet access. It should be noted that WiFi must be turned on during the call. Calling, otherwise the cost will be more expensive. Another advantage of it is that when surfing the Internet, the export IP is a local IP in the United States, which is more useful in some scenarios.
The Orange Card has a minimum monthly rent of US$10 and requires a top-up of US$120 per year or US$15 per month. I found that many netizens have chosen Paygo.
UK Card
There are many types of British cards. In addition to giffgaff, there are also Three/EE/O2 cards. Giffgaff is the most popular among these.
Let me briefly introduce this card, because this is what I happened to buy:
- giffgaff has a variety of packages. Different packages have different timeliness, such as 30/90/180 days, which are generally suitable for travel. After expiration, the number will be recycled.
- You can choose a package when purchasing. Some packages will not be recycled, but they require regular consumption. If you do not consume for more than 180 days, the number will still be recycled. After consumption, it will continue to be extended for 180 days. The so-called consumption:
发一条短信或者打一个电话 - When you buy a card for some packages, there will be a few pounds left in the card, and you have to recharge it when it is used up. You can go to its official website giffgaff.com to recharge, but you need an international credit card or international PayPal, which is not accessible to most people; However, some netizens reported that Chinese cards are also acceptable.
The biggest advantage of giffgaff is zero monthly rent, but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to maintain an account. I bought the card from a certain online store for 98 yuan. It arrived the next day. There was 15 pounds in it. If you spend it once every six months (you can send a text message or make a phone call), you can continue to protect your number for half a year. I feel like I can use it for five months. It’s been eight years… Regarding account protection, the official explanation:
To stop deactivation do any one of the following actions at least once every 6 months:
- Make at least one call, SMS or MMS to another number
- Make at least one connection to the internet using your mobile data
You can also get it without purchasing it from a certain store. You can go to its official website to apply for one, and it will be mailed by regular mail. It will arrive in about one or two weeks.
new zealand card
I haven’t done any specific research on Skinny in New Zealand. Netizens said that it costs about 200 when purchased overseas, with zero monthly rent, recharge once a year, and the account can be guaranteed. Because I saw giffgaff first and a colleague was using it, I didn’t do too much research on other card types.
summary
Overall, the cost of American cards is slightly higher. If you are a digital nomad doing overseas business, and the market is mainly in the United States, it is still recommended that you get an American mobile phone card; but if you just want to For online consumption of some overseas products, British cards, New Zealand cards, etc. are sufficient and the cost is not high.
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