What Is a Verification Code?

A verification code is a security protection method that is used to avoid internet bots from abusing or even spamming various online services. 

If you've ever been prompted to solve a captcha when visiting a website and trying to fill out a form then you already know what this looks like. A captcha is a randomly generated code that appears as an image above a textbox. The site visitor needs to type the same code that appears in the image in order for the form data to be sent. Each time the form is accessed a different code will appear.

Captcha images are often a little difficult to decipher, even for a human, so as to prevent bots from being able to read them.

Aside from captcha images, another form of verification is a Google Verification code, which is a short numeric code that is sent directly to the user, typically through phone or email through which they verify their identity. 

Users may need to enter a verification code whenever they try to create an account on Google, reset their password, or log in from a different, unknown device to their accounts for the very first time.

Note that this form of verification code is not limited to Google, which is just one of many similar options. Any service can provide website creators and users with a verification code service. These services are commonly used for both traditional banking and cryptocurrency accounts, e.g. two-factor authentication (2FA), which require a high degree of security.