OurTime is built for singles over 50 — a generation that often approaches online privacy with more caution than younger users, and for good reason. The data risks of handing your phone number to a dating platform don't shrink with age. If anything, the consequences of a data breach or unwanted contact are felt more sharply by people who have more to protect.
OurTime requires SMS verification for every subscription. It's mandatory, not optional. Every account needs a verified mobile number to activate the verification badge — the small phone icon that tells other members you're a genuine, confirmed user.
You don't need to use your personal number to satisfy this requirement. A real, carrier-based non-VoIP US number from GearSMS receives the verification code, passes OurTime's carrier check, and keeps your personal phone number entirely out of OurTime's database.
Why OurTime Requires Verification — And Why It Matters
OurTime's verification requirement exists for the same reason Match.com and most serious dating platforms use it: to reduce the volume of fake accounts, scam profiles, and bots that have plagued online dating for years. Phone verification creates a meaningful friction barrier because it requires access to a real mobile device — or, in the case of GearSMS, a real carrier-based number.
The verification badge that appears on verified profiles is visible to other members and signals trustworthiness. On a platform aimed at the 50-plus demographic — where many users are new to online dating and especially cautious about who they interact with — the badge carries real weight. Profiles without it are viewed with more suspicion.
Getting verified is worth doing. The question is simply which number you use to do it.
The Privacy Considerations Specific to OurTime Users
Users on OurTime are typically at a life stage where privacy deserves particular attention. Many are recently divorced, widowed, or re-entering the dating world after years away from it. Personal phone numbers in this context carry more sensitivity than the average app sign-up.
Dating platform data breaches are not hypothetical. Major platforms have experienced incidents that exposed millions of users' personal details — including phone numbers. For someone at a vulnerable life stage using a platform like OurTime, the exposure of a phone number in a breach isn't just a privacy inconvenience — it can mean unwanted contact at a difficult time.
OurTime also, like all Match Group platforms, uses phone numbers within its broader data infrastructure. Your number is a persistent identifier in that system. A GearSMS number used specifically for OurTime keeps your real number disconnected from that infrastructure entirely.
Step-by-Step: Verifying OurTime With a GearSMS Number
- Step 1: Get your GearSMS non-VoIP US rental number. OurTime sends verification codes at sign-up and potentially at other points during your subscription — login from new devices, password resets, security alerts. A rental number ensures you can receive all of these throughout your active subscription period.
- Step 2: Go to OurTime and create your account or log into an existing one. The verification prompt appears during or immediately after account creation.
- Step 3: Click Continue on the verification prompt. Enter your GearSMS number in the phone number field with United States selected as the country.
- Step 4: Click Continue. OurTime sends a four-digit code to your number. Open your GearSMS dashboard — the code arrives within seconds on a genuine carrier number.
- Step 5: Enter the four-digit code in OurTime's verification field. Click Continue to complete verification. The verification badge now appears on your profile, visible to other OurTime members.
Getting the Most From OurTime With a Verified Account
The verification badge on OurTime isn't just a trust signal — it can affect how your profile ranks in search results and recommendation algorithms. Verified profiles are typically surfaced more prominently to other members because the platform has more confidence in their legitimacy.
Using a non-VoIP US number for OurTime ensures that you bypass their carrier restrictions and keep your dating life private from the start. For long-term access, consider a rental number to ensure you can always receive security codes during your subscription.
Register OurTime Privately
Get a GearSMS non-VoIP US number today and keep your personal phone out of your dating profile.
Register Your Number Now →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a temporary number for OurTime verification?
You can use a temporary number for the initial verification code, but OurTime may send additional security codes during your subscription. If those arrive after your temporary number has expired, you'll be locked out of SMS-based account recovery. A rental number is the safer choice for an active subscription.
Will OurTime show my phone number to other members?
No. Your phone number is used only for account security and verification purposes. It is not displayed on your profile or shared with other OurTime members.
What if OurTime says my number isn't valid?
This typically means the number was identified as VoIP or landline — two number types OurTime explicitly rejects. GearSMS non-VoIP US numbers pass OurTime's carrier check because they are genuine mobile carrier lines, not internet-based virtual numbers.
I'm new to online dating. Is this process complicated?
Not at all. You get your GearSMS number, enter it in OurTime where it asks for your phone, and wait a few seconds for the code to appear in your GearSMS dashboard. Enter the code and you're verified. The whole process takes under three minutes.
Does OurTime share data with other Match Group platforms?
OurTime is part of Match Group, which also operates Match.com, Tinder, and Hinge. Match Group's privacy policy permits data sharing within the platform family for operational purposes. A GearSMS number means that number — not your personal one — is the identifier in that shared infrastructure.
Final Thoughts
Online dating at any age deserves a privacy-first approach. OurTime's verification requirement is legitimate and worth satisfying — the badge helps other members trust your profile. But satisfying it with your personal phone number creates a permanent data link you can't undo.
A GearSMS non-VoIP US number gives you everything OurTime's verification requires and nothing it doesn't need.