Your phone buzzes. A text message pops up saying you have an outstanding traffic violation, and if you scan the attached QR code immediately, you can pay a $6.99 balance and avoid a court appearance.

Microsoft says it will phase out SMS codes for personal account sign-ins, urging users to switch to passkeys for better protection against scammers.

Many apps and websites require you to enter a verification code to log in. For some services, you only need to enter your phone number or email address and then use a ...