Gdax/Gemini 2FA and Verification

[jerry0]

I have an old coinbase account.  I followed the instructions to log into gdax with my coinbase account but apparently they send you a verification code to your google authy or authy?  I have used google authy before but i just found out about authy.  Can someone tell me how this works?  Do i need to have google authy and/or authy installed on my phone?  I installed authy on my phone but how would i receive a number message?  The thing is gdax can't send me the code through my email?


Do i need to be logged into my email that is connected to my coinbase in order to receive this code? 


With gemini, when i entered my information, it ask me to put in my information.  I got an issue when it ask me to input a phone number as i put my google hangouts voice number on it and i get a message that says it needs to be phone based sms.  The thing is i have used this google voice number on other sites without any issues.  Can someone tell me how i can go through this without a us number?  I thought google voice number is same thing.  Does that mean i cannot use gemini without this?  I want to use gdax and gemini but having issues with this.  Also do both sites require you to have 2FA?  The thing is i never liked google authy as i had issues with it a while back.  I mean cant they just send me a text code or something to my google voice number etc?  Would like someone who uses gdax and gemini can answer these questions.

[jerry0]

Hey all question to you coinbase/gdax and gemini account users. I created a coinbase account a long time ago and was already verified. I sent in my documents etc. I tried to log into coinbase and also create a gdax account and apparently if you have a coinbase account, you could just log into gdax using your coinbase details. When i do this, it ask for my 2FA in google authenticator. My issue is the old phone that i used back then i no longer use it. I have a new phone with google authenticator now.


I sent an email to coinbase and have not received any message back on this. I mentioned that i don't use that phone anymore and got a new one but did they stop doing verification or something? I sent the email a while back and still have not gotten a response yet from them.


Also to gemini account users, when you first create an account, you need to put in your phone number for 2FA. I put in my google voice number as thats the US number i use on my phone since im out of the US at the moment. Apparently it got rejected and message said you cannot use a forwarding number or something like google voice and need to use an actual number. Gemini then emailed me back and told i need to use a regular us sms number. So if i have someone back in the US use their number to do this for me such as put their phone number in and then they get a confirmation code which i believe, then i put it in... would that work? Then i send gemini my verification documents and selfie? The thing is would i need to have that phone number for 2FA or could i just use google authenticator or authy for this? Thus i only need to use a phone number one time only right? Anyone here have suggestions for me on this. Other sites where i use my google voice number for stuff like this works so confused why gemini does not allow it.


Also i recalled coinbase had those limits for buying/selling btc. Can someone tell me what their limits are now? So if i had an account a long time ago but never used it, my limits probably got increased? With gemini are there limits when you first use it or is it like coinbase where the longer you have an account, the higher your limits are? Such that they might start you off with a 100 dollar limit only and then after a while move you up to 1k and up etc? And these are the 2 best sites to sell your btc for bank transfer right assuming you have us bank accounts? Because bittrex apparently does not allow wire transfers if you have btc there and want to sell it there?

[jerry0]

Anyone?

[Serpens66]

for 2FA:
ALWAYS write down your 2FA Secret code. With that you can restore your 2FA code at any device. So this was your fault and if you do not have this secret code anymore, you can do nothing except waiting for coinbase support.

The limits on coinbase are 10k$ at the beginnig and as far as I know the maximum you could increase it after doing full KYC stuff, is 50k

[jerry0]

I dont have the 2FA written.  But has coinbase answered to anyone on this?  Im sure lot of people dont have their 2FA due to their phone not working or changing phone etc.

[jerry0]

Can others here confirm you need a sms cell number or cell number just to complete first step of verification?  My number is a us google voice number  and i got message they do not accept forwarding numbers.   They had emailed me back that google voice is a forwarding service and will not work because its not sms based.  However i have zero issues using this number for verification for any other site etc.



They also said if i download authy for 2fa, i would not have to receive any sms messages etc.  What im confused is... does this mean i could just use authy to complete my verification and thus no cell phone number is required?  I downloaded authy on my iphone but how does the qr code show up for gemini since i cannot even complete the first step which is input an sms based number.



They still have not responded me back on this.  I spoke to others who created a gemini account and few ppl told me they never had to put a cell number to complete the first step of verification.  They just used authy and no issue.

[jerry0]

Anyone?  Do you need to have your cell phone everytime you log in gemini?

[TryNinja]

Anyone?  Do you need to have your cell phone everytime you log in gemini?

Yes. That's the point of using 2FA.

Try to use Authy, which is an OTP 2FA. Everytime you want to log in, you will open the Authy app in your phone and get the code which changes every 30 seconds. While with SMS, you will obviously get a sms to your number with the code.

Using a SMS based 2FA is way more insecure because people can "hijack" your number - like in this case[1] - and get your 2FA messages. While with Authy, only you can get the codes.
[1] https://medium.com/@CodyBrown/how-to-lose-8k-worth-of-bitcoin-in-15-minutes-with-verizon-and-coinbase-com-ba75fb8d0bac

[jerry0]

tryninja, yes i know you need your cell phone to log in with 2FA.  I meant do you have to have that original cell phone number you used to verify with gemini.  I know about google auth and authy. 


the issue is gemini tells me you need to first verify with them with your cell phone number.  I have a google voice number but it doesn't work with them, they said it cannot be any type of voip number etc.  I had no issues with coinbase or any other site with my google voice number.  Because after i verify with this number, i would use google authy or authy to do 2FA and not my sms number.  They tell me even if thats the case, i still need access to my original cell phone number to log in.  So is that correct or not?  Because now i think of it, it is because the google authy or authy is connected to your cell phone number right?  So for example say the phone number you used with authy... you no longer have that number anymore or lost access to it and either have no phone number or had to get a new phone number.  So could you still use authy with your gemini account as long as you have that backup phrase if you lost your phone?  Or say your sim card no longer work for your phone and you dont have access to that cell phone number.  Could you still use authy for gemini or coinbase etc?


my point was i only have a google voice number and sms works but not with gemini.  So if thats the case, they said i cannot borrow someones phone to receive the text code, then i send them verification documents and then use authy as my 2fa.  So they are correct in this or not?  The other thing is would there be issue if i buy a cheap number just to get verified with gemini.  Thus imagine i pay 10 dollars for sim and the phone number and say its a pay as you go phone.  Use it as verification.  Then once i do that, send gemini my documents and get verified.  But the authy app has to be linked only to that new number i got?  Because i would use it for that, then it would not work anymore most likely since i won't use it anymore.  So if that phone number isn't active, then i can no longer log into my gemini?  Couldnt i just change the phone number in my authy app to my google voice number afterwards?  Because gemini would no longer send me sms message anymore right?  Since everything is now authy?  Because i have no purpose of getting a new cell number because im out of the country sometimes and thus i use google voice for everything such as call us and text.

[jerry0]

tryninja, gemini first requires you to input an sms number first.  I believe once you do that, you get an sms text message to your number with the code and then you input it and then you would send in your verification documents etc.  so i cannot do this without a sms phone number first.



thus let say i get a number solely for this purpose as a pay as you go plan.  Well i would buy a sim card for my unlocked iphone to do this.  but if i no longer use this number anymore... which i don't, then i would have issues?  that is my problem here.  But im confused do you need an active cell phone number in order to use authy?  And even if you do, if you change the number, that should be no issue then right?

[jerry0]

Okay would like advice on this.  Could i get say a cheap sim card from the us.. say lycamobile for 1 dollar online.  Then i activate my lycamobile sim on my iphone in the US to receive that sms number?  But would i need a plan for it or not?  I only need to do it for account verification.


But after this, would i still need this same phone number to log in everytime?  Or could i use google authy or authy from later on and i no longer need the same sms number i used to activate it?


Because im out of the US most of the time, so the us number lycamobile won't work outside the US.  Because with coinbase, i know a google voice number sms there are no issues.  But gemini does not accept a voice over ip number.  So how do you guys use gemini outside the US then?