Free Coursera via New York State

[ss20ts]

Will they actually verify if I live in those 2 states or is the account activated automatically?

For NY, you have to sign up through the NYS website. You must include your phone number, zip code, and region. If you're not from NY, the regions won't make any sense. These things must also match up. You are also affirming that you are unemployed or dislocated in NY when signing up. The Dept of Labor responds to your inquiry.