When I tried to set up a new Gmail account today I was prompted to scan a QR code - fine, part of Google’s new 2025-6 rollout of QR. However, I was then prompted to send a code via SMS to an ordinary looking UK number - the code, alongside a ‘Do not edit’ message appeared automatically in my messages. I didn’t send it as I thought it looked dodgy and have since seen numerous people report the same concern on various forums, Reddit etc. I tried again from different devices and got the same result, with different numbers to text - two UK, one French number. There is nothing in Google’s own guidance or in tech news about the requirement to send a text from your phone to what looks like a random mobile number. Has anyone completed this step? What happened? There seems to be no way to bypass the QR code and use an alternative method to set up an account.