Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Watch for scams, AI images when donating to hurricane disaster relief What's a verification code, and why are they so important?

The speed with which it strikes is very alarming - my wife was on the phone to our son when a mutual friend messaged her to ask for a six-digit code, saying it was urgent. Distracted, my wife sent the ...

, a process that helps keep your important online accounts secure. For example, you might get a text message or email with a six-digit code that you must enter when you log into your bank account.