AWS account expires in 2 weeks. Can't login, but they keep asking me to

Question

My small AWS account which I use to handle emails from web applications and sites is not allowing me to log in anymore. ( i need to pay a small bill since that VISA is expired, which requires login)I know my credentials and i can access my email. OTP is always successfull ( One Time Password).I have my phone with me, but no notifications coming in ( I have never enabled MFA on this account, and i'm not receiving any SMS)Every customer support issue directs me to urls where I need to login, but I can't.Is there a way to let them call me and verifying my account without doing that verification step? Because that's literally the issue.Or any other advice? ( It's a small account, but it will give me a lot of hassle and errors if i have to reconfigure every website/webapp and approve every email again. Setting me back for > 2-3 days)Edit:Thank you all!I changed the default SMS app ( the default was the normal one for Android) and it showed me a lot of missed messages, including OTP ones from Amazon.

noncoml · Accepted Answer

I have a similar kafkaesque story from AWS.
Some time back I closed my Amazon account without deleting my AWS services first.
The result was that the services kept running and I kept being charged.
When I talked to AWS they said I should login and stop them. But since it's a single-sign-on, I had to talk to Amazon staff, who were insisting that once you delete an account you cannot restore it, so there was no way for me to login to stop the services.
No matter how much I tried to make AWS understand that it doesn’t make sense for my services to still be up when I deleted my account, they wouldn’t have it. I don’t think I have dealt with such arrogant, bad customer support before.

james_pm · Answer

Possible that your provider has blocked SMS from Amazon? We (not Amazon...I don't work there) also see users of our service who have sent "STOP" to our SMS number occasionally and then complain we never send them 2FA codes. If you can see the number those SMS used to come from you can try sending a "START" to it, or check to see if they have been blocked from sending to you.

NicoJuicy · Answer

The OTP messages through SMS were marked as Spam on Android.
While changing to the Samsung SMS app ( which doesn't have a spam detection), the messages were shown.
By now, I have changed the app back and marked the messages as not Spam ( didn't even knew there was spam detection in my SMS app)
I have replied to AWS support what the exact issue was.

zaltekk · Answer

Have you filled out this form? It&rsquo;s not as good as a phone number, but they should be able to sort it out.https://support.aws.amazon.com/#/contacts/aws-account-suppor...

ickyforce · Answer

I have a similar issue - my phone broke and I lost access to OTP. I don't have anything on AWS except S3 bucket which costs $0.5/month. My credit card expired so they aren't charging me, just sending "urgent action required" emails. I contacted AWS support to either regain access to the account or pay what I owe and close it but they asked for:
1) A completed, signed, and notarized Identity Verification Form and Affidavit, which can be downloaded online at the following link (the link didn't work)
2) A photocopy of the AWS account owner’s primary proof of identification, such as a State driver’s license or passport.
3) A photocopy of the AWS account owner’s proof of address matching the address on file.
So I'm waiting, maybe they'll give up.

bagels · Answer

What does this mean "I changed the default app"What app? An amazon app? An SMS app? What was it changed from/to?

ochronus · Answer

I also have a 'fun' story - got locked out of my old account (old phone no. 2FA). I owe them $1.61 so they keep pinging me. I've offered to pay using my new account or that they can just send me a link / bank account no. whatever so I can pay. No can do. I have to log in for that. My only option is a notarized document sent to them. Well I don't want to pay that dollar THAT hard... :/

domano · Answer

Are you using signal as your main messaging app? If so restart your phone - i could not see sms due to their current issues somehow. Restarting fixed it.

jasonjayr · Answer

Maybe not specific to your issue, but it took me a frustratingly long time and several password resets to realize that I had setup my AWS and Amazon Store account to each use TOTP 2FA, and they used two different codes. I occasionally need to use both in sequence to sign in.

KeithBrink · Answer

Any chance you&rsquo;re using a VOIP service for your phone number? If AWS is sending their verification codes on a short code, they often don&rsquo;t deliver unless you&rsquo;re using an actual mobile carrier. This has been an issue for me on other services.

fedormoiseev · Answer

Try to unblock all phone numbers and resend the OTP.I once couldn&rsquo;t receive an OTP from mobile operator unless I unblocked some spam sender (they had alphanumeric caller ID). I guess they use same service/number for sending SMS?

ABeeSea · Answer

This anecdote really drives homes the fact iMessage sells phones for Apple. The default SMS app not displaying messages is absolutely unacceptable.And I would never trust a third party sms app.

jimnotgym · Answer

I have someone in the company having a similar problem with Amazon VC. I can log in from their computer, but when they use their credentials they just never receive mfa codes

sciclaw · Answer

Are you on a VPN? Have. You tried other networks/machines? Amazon blocks my login when I am on VPN

eganist · Answer

hey NicoJuicy, there's a [dead] account called throw_nico commenting on everything. Is that also yours? Can you comment from your NicoJuicy account?

ivansusanin · Answer

I reached out to you on keybase

458aperta · Answer

What makes me go crazy right now is that I can't access my AWS account because the OTP will no longer work. I tried resyncing but to no avail.I am at a loss as to how this could've happened. I used Google Authenticator and simply didn't log in for a few months.

AWS account expires in 2 weeks. Can't login, but they keep asking me to

Have you filled out this form? It’s not as good as a phone number, but they should be able to sort it out.
https://support.aws.amazon.com/#/contacts/aws-account-suppor...

What does this mean "I changed the default app"
What app? An amazon app? An SMS app? What was it changed from/to?

Are you using signal as your main messaging app? If so restart your phone - i could not see sms due to their current issues somehow. Restarting fixed it.

Maybe not specific to your issue, but it took me a frustratingly long time and several password resets to realize that I had setup my AWS and Amazon Store account to each use TOTP 2FA, and they used two different codes. I occasionally need to use both in sequence to sign in.

Any chance you’re using a VOIP service for your phone number? If AWS is sending their verification codes on a short code, they often don’t deliver unless you’re using an actual mobile carrier. This has been an issue for me on other services.

Try to unblock all phone numbers and resend the OTP.
I once couldn’t receive an OTP from mobile operator unless I unblocked some spam sender (they had alphanumeric caller ID). I guess they use same service/number for sending SMS?

This anecdote really drives homes the fact iMessage sells phones for Apple. The default SMS app not displaying messages is absolutely unacceptable.
And I would never trust a third party sms app.

I have someone in the company having a similar problem with Amazon VC. I can log in from their computer, but when they use their credentials they just never receive mfa codes

Are you on a VPN? Have. You tried other networks/machines? Amazon blocks my login when I am on VPN

hey NicoJuicy, there's a [dead] account called throw_nico commenting on everything. Is that also yours? Can you comment from your NicoJuicy account?

I reached out to you on keybase

What makes me go crazy right now is that I can't access my AWS account because the OTP will no longer work. I tried resyncing but to no avail.
I am at a loss as to how this could've happened. I used Google Authenticator and simply didn't log in for a few months.