Setting up outlook email account with someone elses number

Hello Ann2024, Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community. My name is Raymond and I'm happy to help. Sorry for this inconvenience. However, yes. If your phone number was used to create a Microsoft account, you should receive a verification code to confirm the number. What is the situation here? Most times, people inadvertently enter incorrect phone numbers. Do you have access to this phone number? Looking forward to your response. Regards

I just need to ensure that if an outlook account is set up using a mobile number, then that number would receive a verification code to continue. So logically you would have to be in possession of that phone to verify the account (common sense I know but just hear me out as I am not a techy and although the above is logical I need to make sure its correct).

Therefore, if you want to access that account later having logged out for example, you put the email address in that you have created and then the system shows the last 3 numbers of the mobile number and you have to enter the rest of the number to access the account?

I ask because I have someone claiming that someone must have created an email account using their number and an email that was sent wasn't from them but somebody else who must have created the account using their number- but that cant be right if to verify it the person creating the account would need to be in possession of that phone. Hope that makes sense

Ann2024, yes you are correct. Verification is required to add a phone number to an account as well as access an account. However, is this person in possession of this phone number? If they are, there is no way the phone number is stolen. If this phone number is associated with the account of anyone who isn't in possession of the phone number, they will have security challenges with accessing the account. This verification could also be for an attempt to add the number to an account.

Ok thank you so much one last question (sorry) i am just an IT ignorant sadly - but here goes

when you want to access your outlook account but forget your password and you have to enter your number to get a code etc - does the outlook show the beginning or end of a number for you to fill in the rest of the number to get a code? or does it just show lots of stars and then the last 2 numbers and you confirm that must be your number and then you get a code? Hope that makes sense

thank you so much you have no idea how much this is helping