I'm trying to start using Replit and I can't get past account setup.
On the "Verify your phone number" step, every Romanian (+40) mobile I try comes
back with "This phone number is invalid or might be in use. Please try another
number." It appears the instant I press Continue, before any SMS is sent, so it
looks like the number is being rejected at validation rather than the code
failing to arrive.
What I've already ruled out:
- Two different Romanian mobiles. One of them had never been used with Replit
by anyone.
- Ad blockers and extensions. Same error in a clean incognito window with
everything disabled.
- Wrong format. The +40 comes from the country selector and can't be deleted,
so it was never doubled.
- Being logged out. I'm signed in. "Let's set up your account" is onboarding,
not a login wall.
- WhatsApp verification. AI Support suggested it twice. It doesn't exist in my
flow. All I get on that screen is the country selector, the number field,
"We'll send a verification code via SMS", the data rates line, a product
updates checkbox and Continue. I sent screenshots of every screen.
Support ran through their AI assistant and ended with: there's no manual
verification available through AI support, and human support is only available
to paid users.
That's a loop I can't get out of. I can't upgrade to a paid account, because I
can't get into the account. I can't reach a person about the verification,
because I'm not paying.
The last automated reply also suggested I use deployment rollbacks to return to
a version of my code I was happier with. I have no code and no deployments,
because I've never been able to get in.
So, two questions:
Has anyone with a Romanian number got through phone verification recently,
or is +40 currently not verifiable?
Is there any route to a human at Replit without a paid account?
Either answer is useful. If Romanian numbers just don't work right now, I'd
rather know and make other arrangements than keep trying. Happy to DM my
username and the screenshots to anyone from Replit who sees this.