Arlo customer using my phone number

[Vamtom]

Some poor Arlo customer is mistakenly using my phone number to try to pair their device.

About three times a day, I'll receive a text with my 'one time pairing code'. Can't imagine it's a scam, as there is no link to press. This has been going on for nearly a week.

Wish I could let them know, but it seems impossible - I even tried speaking to Arlo customer support, but gave up after being on hold for about half an hour. Couldn't contact support online, as I'm not a customer.

I'm in New Zealand, so if there are any kiwis tearing their hair out about pairing a device, check the number!

[EquallyAnnoyed]

It takes one mistake when inputting your number that will generate someone else’s number. Aka all of ours 

[Pill]

@EquallyAnnoyed

I think it highly unlikely all this is all due to something as simple as an incorrect phone number.

Also the texts appear to be coming from multiple senders. 

Some time ago (a year or more) I set up a clients Arlo camera (I'm an IT Tech).

I'm wondering if I used my phone to pair it and if I did whether that could be related.

[Pill]

I see the pairing code is used for two step verification, in which case it's even more unlikely to be a typo.

[ShayneS]

Thank you for your feedback. It has come to our attention that some users are using incorrect phone numbers when creating/authenticating new accounts. The development team is working on a new process to help prevent this that we hope to be available very soon. We will provide updates as more information becomes available to share.

[shizzles]

Thanks. That’s frustrating. 

today alone, I’m currently receiving my 12th message. 

[Annoyed86]

It seems extremely unlikely that all of a sudden multiple customers have put in the wrong phone numbers and are continuing to try pairing without checking if there’s a typo somewhere. 

Please do keep looking into a fix, but a more believable explanation would also be nice. 

[keresian]

Created an account just to say this is happening to me too. I've received 50+ messages in the past three weeks, at any time of the day or night, from several different 4-digit numbers. I can't block the numbers because they're genuine numbers used by companies sending me codes I asked for, reminders of appointments, etc. I'm sick of it. I'm also in New Zealand, have had my phone number for 10+ years, and have never heard of this company until this started happening. 

I tried calling the NZ help line, selected the billing option, and got a fat load of silence for 15 minutes before they hung up on me. At this point the company has all but guaranteed I'll never use their products, but I want the messages to stop. Mostly posting this so I can get alerted of updates, but as someone who works in tech, the responses so far have been sub-par. 

 

[PWR21]

Do we have a timeframe of a fix anytime soon? These messages are getting super annoying, at all hours of the day. Highly doubt someone is trying to pair their Arlo device at these crazy hours of the morning. I have had over 50 messages since this started and get these messages on a daily! 

[itsdeanmoroney]

Hi all, another New Zealander here. There is no way this is a mistaken case of customers using the wrong number at this point, because we're all in New Zealand and it's just started recently and out of the blue. My txts started this morning and I've received two within the last hour. Based on the comments in this thread I'm expecting a lot more.

Dunno what Arlo is but if this is any indication of their product quality I'm going to steer well clear of them if they're just dropping authentication codes on random phone numbers.

[Janie124]

Yes I'm still getting them too. I can't remember the first time I posted to this board. But probably a month ago. I got 3 yesterday.

[Annoyed86]

I’ve reported them to the DIA since they deal with spam text messages. If anyone else has a spare 5 minutes it might be worth also sending them an email, hopefully they can talk to Arlo. 

[b34k3r]

So for the last 3-4 Days I've been getting 2-3 one time codes for equipment I don't have, In fact I've only created a arlo account to post this message

the issue is obviously that someone has set up an account and accidentally put in my phone number.

So someone out there is getting really frustrated that they are not getting their one time codes.

I've tried an online chat which is basically useless as it's automated with no secret path to a human and I need to guess what hardware this person has. So I've given up that Avenue

can anyone reach out and let me know an actual support contact method so they can lookup my number and flick the person an email to them the number they have is wrong. otherwise I'm going to just get code after code at all hours and someone else is going to get frustrated with never getting a code.

Also Arlo needs to up it's game to send a one time code before linking a mobile to an account

[Fireguy82]

Hi All,

I can understand your frustration at these. Somehow they have now starting sending that message to the NZ Fire Service paging number. That is setting off the emergency PAGERs for fire crews to tell us there is a fire call. This is incredibly dangerous and also very illegal. I have if anyone from Arlo is monitoring this thread that act fast. Spamming a pager literally is risking lives. I’ve personally had 3 messages in the last 30 minutes to the fire pager I have. 

[StephenB]

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@b34k3r wrote:

So for the last 3-4 days I've been getting 2-3 one time codes for equipment I don't have, In fact I've only created a arlo account to post this message

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I've seen several reports of this - all from New Zealand.

Is that where you are located?

[Vamtom]

Hi. That's horrendous - not just annoying but - as you say - dangerous. @Forum_Moderator this really needs to be escalated above a standard complaints queue - it is now a safety issue.

[Vamtom]

Hi @ShayneS  do you have any updates, given the recent post about texts now affecting NZ Fire Service communications?

[b34k3r]

Yep I'm in New Zealand

[mcm_ham]

Can add me to the list as well. Just started receiving these, had never heard of arlo before, and also live in New Zealand.

[Pill]

nvm

[PWR21]

Update: 
Since reporting the spam txt messages to DIA (forward the message to 7726) I have not received any further spam Arlo one-time txt messages! 

[Vamtom]

Thanks for that update - and for giving such a useful suggestion! 

[Janie124]

I haven't had one since 9 August. Is that when you reported it?

[Annoyed86]

I reported them on the 7th and haven’t had any more texts since the 8th. 

[PWR21]

 

I reported the spam messages on the 08/08 🙂

[Helpplease_1234]

I too am affected by this nonsense! Now my stupid iPhone won’t connect to my cameras even though I changed my number today I’m so sick of feeling like I’m being hacked at!!! Frustrating and I’m in NZ tooo please help I’m pissed off and my cameras aren’t responding to my app I can’t even pair them what the heck!!!