Verifying your phone number is a one-time step that unlocks several parts of BOXED. It takes about a minute. This article covers what it unlocks, exactly where to find it, which numbers work, what to do if the only number you have is a VoIP or prepaid one, and how to fix the most common errors.
Quick summary
Phone verification on BOXED is SMS based. You add your number under Account Settings, then Account Verification, then Add Phone, and enter the code we text you. A standard mobile carrier number works most reliably, and VoIP, virtual, and prepaid numbers commonly fail to receive the code. If SMS will not come through, there is a "call me instead" option that delivers the code by voice call. Once verified, you can use site chat and polls, edit your withdrawal methods, and, alongside identity verification, use crypto and Steam skin withdrawals.
What phone verification unlocks
Site chat and polls. A verified phone number is required before you can post in site chat or take part in polls. This keeps chat free of duplicate and throwaway accounts.
Editing your withdrawal methods. Adding or changing a saved withdrawal method requires a verified phone, so that nobody else can redirect where your items or value go.
Crypto withdrawals. A verified phone is required alongside identity verification before you can withdraw in crypto.
Steam skin withdrawals. The same combined requirement applies when you send CS2 skins to your Steam account.
Phone verification is a separate check from identity verification (KYC), and neither one replaces the other. Worth knowing in the other direction: gem drops require completed identity verification but do not require phone verification, so if drops are your goal, KYC is the step to focus on.
How to verify your phone number
Sign in and open Account Settings.
Go to Account Verification.
Select Add Phone.
Choose your country code and enter your mobile number.
Wait for the SMS and enter the code on screen.
Once the code is accepted, your number is verified immediately and the features above become available. You do not need to repeat verification each time you sign in.
Which numbers work best
A standard mobile carrier number, meaning a number issued directly by a mobile network operator, is the most reliable option and verifies first time in the large majority of cases. The following number types commonly fail, because carriers and messaging networks frequently block automated verification messages to them:
VoIP and virtual numbers, including second-line numbers from apps and web services
Prepaid numbers, depending on the carrier and country
Landline numbers, which cannot receive SMS at all
If a VoIP or prepaid number is the only number you have
You are not stuck. Work through these in order:
Try the "call me instead" option. On the verification screen, choose to receive the code by voice call rather than SMS. This routes the code differently and often succeeds on numbers where SMS is blocked, including many landline and VoIP numbers.
Try a different standard mobile number that you control. The number does not need to match the name or country on your identity documents, so any mobile number you genuinely have access to will do.
If neither works, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it. Tell them the number type, the country, and the exact error you are seeing, so they can check whether the block is at the carrier end or something specific to your account.
If your country or carrier is not supported at all, see regional availability and "action not permitted" errors.
Error messages and what they mean
"Phone number is already in use"
This means the number you entered is already verified on another BOXED account, because a phone number can only be attached to one account at a time. If the other account is yours and you no longer want it, you can close or deactivate that account, which frees the number for use elsewhere. If you do not recognise the other account, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it. Keep in mind that BOXED operates one account per person, so verifying a second account for yourself is not permitted.
"Phone number is unsupported"
This means the number is a carrier or country type that our verification SMS cannot reach. In practice it is almost always a VoIP, virtual, prepaid, or landline number. What you can do is try the "call me instead" voice option on the same screen, or enter a standard mobile carrier number instead. If both routes fail on a number you know to be a normal mobile line, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it.
The code is not arriving
If you selected Add Phone but no SMS has arrived, work through these in order:
Check the country code. Selecting the wrong country code is the single most common cause. Confirm both the country code and the number itself, digit by digit.
Check your blocked and spam message folders. Some phones file automated short-code messages away from the main inbox.
Wait a full minute, then resend. Delivery can be delayed during peak carrier traffic, and requesting a new code too quickly can invalidate the first one.
Use the "call me instead" option. If SMS is not getting through, the voice call route often will.
Confirm the number type. VoIP, virtual, and prepaid numbers are the usual culprits when nothing at all arrives.
Try from a different network. If you are on patchy mobile data or roaming, move somewhere with a stable signal and resend.
Because the check is the successful delivery of the code itself, our team cannot mark a number as verified by hand. What our team can do is investigate why delivery is failing for your specific number and country, so if you have exhausted the steps above, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it.
Common questions
My number says it is not supported. What should I do?
If your number says it is not supported, it is most likely a VoIP, virtual, prepaid, or landline number, and those types frequently cannot receive our verification SMS. What you can do is use the "call me instead" option to receive the code by voice call, or enter a standard mobile carrier number that you control. If both fail, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it.
Is there a way to get the code without SMS?
Yes, there is a way to get the code without SMS. On the verification screen, choose the "call me instead" option and the code is delivered by voice call instead of text message. This is the route to use when your carrier or number type is blocking automated text messages.
I am not getting the verification code. How do I fix it?
If you are not getting the verification code, confirm that the country code and number are correct, check your blocked and spam messages, wait a full minute, and then resend. If it still does not arrive, try the "call me instead" voice option, and failing that use a standard mobile number, which is the most reliable type.
Can the BOXED team verify my number for me?
No, the BOXED team cannot mark a number as verified manually, because the verification is the successful delivery of the code. What our team can do is investigate why delivery is failing for your number and country, so if you have tried a supported mobile number and the voice call option without success, please ask to speak to a human and our team will look into it.
Can I change the phone number on my account later?
Yes, you can update the phone number on your account at any time. Go to Account Settings, then Account Verification, and add your new number in the same place you added the original. The new number must not already be verified on another BOXED account.
Does phone verification replace identity verification?
No, phone verification does not replace identity verification. They are two separate checks, and features such as crypto and Steam withdrawals require both a verified phone and completed identity verification (KYC). Gem drops work the other way round and need KYC rather than phone verification.
Does my phone number have to match my ID?
No, your phone number does not have to match the name or country on your identity documents. Any standard mobile number that you genuinely control and that is not already verified on another BOXED account will complete verification.
I cannot sign in to reach the verification page. What now?
If you cannot sign in at all, phone verification is not the blocker and the sign-in problem needs solving first. See logging in: password, 2FA and access issues, or, if your account shows as restricted, see why is my account locked or frozen.