I just got exactly the same message and have the same need for an explanation and solution/work-around.
By parsing the words in the error message, it looks like it has something to do with a phone number and text messaging.
SMS is a text message method. And a required 10-digit number implies a phone number. Did you elect to receive something by text message and provided an invalid phone number that doesn't have 10 digits or that can't receive SMS text messages?
What product are you using? Are you using Online TurboTax via a web browser on a computer? Or are you using the TurboTax Mobile App on a portable device? Or are you using Online TurboTax via a browser on a mobile device?
I’m having the exact same problem. The format for the phone number seems to be the problem. It will not accommodate my European phone number. Last year I used my Skype phone number (US), but this year I’m getting the same error message you’re getting, when I enter my Skype number.
** TurboTax Tech if you’re seeing our messages, please let us know that you’re working on this issue.
thank you...
Same problem here. Filing from Sweden but I've inputted a working US number but to no avail.
Same issue here. I had updated my phone number this year to a German cell number which TurbotaxOnline accepted when I logged on this year (my 9th year of using TurboTax). When I got to the e-file i receive the error above. Thinking it was the phone number on my account, I deleted the number and tried again to e-file. Same error.
Please tell us there's something being done to resolve this issue or this regular customer won't be here next year.
I've reported this issue to a TurboTax Moderator and asked them to review this thread today. It seems to have mostly started in the last day or so. I don't know if it's a known issue or not, but this is an unusual cluster of folks with the same error.
I too received the same error message. Filing from England
601ERRV:2, CustHdr_17 - ?:? - Invalid SMS Number. Must be between 10 and 10 digits.
Same problem here. Invalid SMS Number. First year filing taxes overseas as well. I have a U.S. number in my personal info, and don't remember if I did any type of verification with my overseas number when I first logged in this year.
I have the same error coming through. Does anyone know how to get this fixed?
Same problem and I can't get any support from a Turbo tax moderator.
I had this problem yesterday too.
I remember seeing a moderator message the said to delete and retype all the information on the info page. I did that and it did not change anything...still got this stupid message.
Pretty crummy service for the money I paid this year to have their service.
They were pretty quick to take my money this year, way before I was finished.
Their number is Eight Hundred - six hundred twenty four - nine thousand and sixty six. The squeaky wheel gets greased. We should all call.
Now why would Turbo Tax come remove the number from my message, but not provide us an answer. Is Intuit manned by former government bureaucrats?
Hi everyone, I spoke with someone today about this issue over the phone. It seems to be a software problem, and the bug has been reported and should supposedly be addressed in "the next few days." The customer assistant said to keep trying once a day, but she expected it would be corrected by Monday or Tuesday of this coming week.
It does seem to be related to us expats filing abroad...
Thanks. I finally got through their 800 number, then they called me back, but the line dropped.
I am an expat...and you're right, we are all expats. Wonder what this is all about.
thank you!
Same issue for me and it continues even when I use a friend's US phone number in my profile.
This is my first year back in the UK after leaving the US in 2019. There's a theme here. I will call them or, will end up having to mail from the UK.
Same issue, everything I filled is correct. This needs fixing ASAP 😄
Same issue here. Filing from Colombia. Hopefully this is fixed soon. It is a bit frustrating given the price of the service although the some of the help received has been helpful from CPAs, some not so much. Hit and miss I suppose.
I am also an expat, living in the Philippines. I am using a VPN with a US server and my phone number is US through Google Voice.
I guess we're still waiting on this. I just want to file and be done... I inputted my US number as well, and continue to get this error message.
Guess we will all need to wait until Monday or Tuesday, US time to have Intuit fix this software error. This issue has been rolling for about a week now. Intuit, we expect better than this for our money.
Same for me - filing from France, though I've changed my address and phone number to a US address. Seems to be an expat issue, my last years return had a French address. But changing it to US doesn't solve the issue, nor filling in the address info again. Will try on Monday I guess.
Kind of odd that Intuit can't return a call to me and can get into my previous message and DELETE the intuit customer support toll-free phone number that I had posted yesterday. Eight Hundred - six hundred twenty four - nine thousand and sixty six
I think everyone having this problem should call and complain. Why are we waiting a week to make a tiny software change.
Their proposed solution is to mail in the tax return. Mail? Isn't the reason I paid Turbo Tax $160 this year so I would be able to electronically file, as I have done previously for the past 10 years?
There are lots of alternatives that I will search out on DuckDuckGo for completing my taxes next year.
Sounds like someone at Support told you mail simply because there is not a known fix yet. If it was me, I wouldn't file by mail right now, since a fix is likely to be available at some point, and there is still plenty of time to efile--especially with the new filing deadline of July 15 for a Federal return due to the Coronavirus situation. ( State return deadlines may vary.) The IRS is not even processing paper returns for the time being. Can you imagine the manual backlog once they do?!
As you likely realized, TurboTax Support did not manually delete the phone number you posted. The forum privacy filter did, for reasons explained below. They have several phone numbers. Here's one at the FAQ below. And the contact form may assign a different phone number depending on the issue.
FAQ: What is the TurboTax phone number?
https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/using-turbotax/help/what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number/00/25632
Or use this contact form to get a phone number (during business hours) :
https://support.turbotax.intuit.com/contact
Support hours are 5AM-5PM Pacific (8AM-8PM Eastern), Mon-Fri
The forum privacy filter, however, will automatically redact any phone number from this forum that it recognizes by a user who doesn't have privilege to post one. It is not uncommon for scammers to post phone numbers and URLS in this forum. It will also delete an email address and SSN if it recognizes them.
Unfortunately, users occasionally post their personal phone number (even SSNs and account numbers) in this public Internet forum, which is picked up by search engines. And without the forum privacy filter, no telling who might try to phone them and pretend to be from TurboTax and ask for personal info to try to scam them.
@curtis6 and others:
One thing I'm curious about. Are all of you using Online TurboTax? I know the original poster who started the thread is using Online TurboTax and that you are as well. I was curious if anyone experiencing this problem is using the desktop software (CD/download) or whether this is strictly an Online TurboTax problem.