When you call a company that uses ScrambleID, you won't be asked your mother's maiden name or the street you grew up on. Instead, your ScrambleID app proves it's really you, in one of two ways. Both need the app enrolled on your phone first; the Mobile App guide covers setup.

The usual way: approve a push

If you're calling from the phone number your account knows about:

The call connects and the system recognizes your number.
A push notification lands on your enrolled phone.
Tap to approve. Depending on your settings, your phone may ask for your face, fingerprint, or PIN first.
The call continues, already verified. The agent who picks up sees you've been confirmed.

Your phone number alone is never treated as proof (numbers can be spoofed). It's only used to find your enrolled device; the proof is the approval your phone signs.

The fallback: enter a spoken code

If you're calling from a number that isn't registered, or the push can't reach you:

The automated system reads you a short, one-time code.
Open the ScrambleID app and enter the code.
Tap Verify.
The call continues, verified, exactly as with the push.

The spoken code is just as secure as the push; it's the same cryptographic confirmation with one extra step. Either way, nothing you say on the call (no answers, no codes read back to a person) can be reused by anyone else: the confirmation is tied to this call only.

Why companies do this

Security questions stopped working: the answers are in data breaches and on social media, and AI voice cloning means sounding like you isn't proof of anything. Your enrolled phone signing a one-time challenge is proof, no matter how good an impostor sounds.

Troubleshooting

No push arrived. Check your phone has a connection and notifications are on for ScrambleID. The system will fall back to the spoken code automatically.
The code expired before you entered it. Tell the system or agent; a fresh code takes seconds.
New phone or new number? Re-enroll first; the Mobile App guide covers device changes and recovery.