Yes, That Verizon $20 Credit Text Is Real: Here’s How to Claim It
If you recently got a text from Verizon offering a $20 account credit, you’re not alone… and no, it’s not a scam.With phishing texts on the rise, plenty of customers hesitated when the message started circulating. But Verizon has confirmed the credit is legitimate and is being offered to customers impacted by a recent nationwide service outage.
How to Access Your Credit
According to the company, affected customers are being notified by text once the credit becomes available for their account. That’s why the messages are showing up at different times for different people. One key detail that helps confirm it’s real: the link included in the message uses vzw.com, an official Verizon domain that redirects to verizon.com.
Still, if you’d rather play it safe, you don’t need to click the link at all. Customers can claim the credit by:
- Logging directly into their account at verizon.com
- Opening the myVerizon app and checking for the available credit
It’s important to note that the $20 will not be automatically applied. Customers must log in and manually claim it once they receive the notification.
About Wednesday’s Outage
The credit follows a widespread Verizon outage earlier this week that left tens of thousands of customers without service for much of the day. During the disruption, many users reported their phones were stuck in “SOS” mode and unable to connect. Verizon says the outage has since been resolved, though the company has not released full details about what caused it. In a statement to NPR, a Verizon spokesperson said the outage stemmed from a “software issue” and that a full review is underway. Outage tracking site Downdetector logged more than 2.3 million reports related to Verizon during the disruption (that number reflects reports, not confirmed affected customers).
Experts say incidents like this are becoming more common as wireless networks rely more heavily on cloud-based systems. Sanjoy Paul, a wireless network expert at Rice University, explained that modern networks are now largely software-driven, which offers flexibility but also creates more opportunities for large-scale glitches. In response to the outage, Verizon says it’s continuing to monitor service quality and has advised customers to restart their devices if connectivity issues persist. The company described the $20 credit as a way of acknowledging customer frustration and showing accountability.
Meanwhile, the Federal Communications Commission says it is actively monitoring the situation and evaluating potential next steps.
