Harden against repeat OTP-extraction calls

    OTP scams rely on time pressure — kill the time pressure and the scam falls apart.

    JDCS
    By Jordan Dickson · Reviewed by CSG Security Engineers

    Updated June 2026 · 1 min read

    OTP scams have one trick: convincing you to read out a code under time pressure. The protective layer is a personal rule that overrides the panic.

    The single line that prevents this

    Important

    Nobody legitimate — not your bank, not Microsoft, not the police — will ever ask you to read out an OTP, password or 2FA code. If they do, it's a scam, every time.

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    JD

    Written by

    Jordan Dickson

    Founder, CyberSecurityGuides

    Founder of CyberSecurityGuides, writing practical, jargon-free guides that help everyday people recover from and protect against online attacks.

    Reviewed by CSG Security Engineers

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