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Get a free Google Voice number. Then have them send the text messages to that number. The number does not need to be assigned to a physical phone. You can send and receive your "text" messages online with a browser.
And if you rarely use the cell phone so it doesnt become apparent its gone for WEEKS? Some folk rarely use their cell phone and only have it cause they were forced by these nonsense security text things or by friends or relatives worried about you having a phone when traveling, etc.
Until I started using cell phone tethered to my computer as my only internet access, I had free flip phone I would maybe use once every few months. That flip phone was great mostly cause it was small and cause it held a usable charge for well over a month if left turned off. I left it turned off unless making a call.
And if you're living on the International Space Station or assigned to McMurdo Station or only speak Swahili? We can go on and on with edge cases but the bottom line is that companies aren't going to spend the time and effort and cost into developing an option that serves only a tiny percentage of their customers. Maybe they consider it worthwhile and may they don't. That's a choice they get to make, not you.
The people that complain about these "nonsense security" things are the first to complain when their accounts get hacked.
Personally, I think they should all offer the option to call them up, verify conclusively who you are, and have them disable verification codes on your account. And be advised that if you choose this option the company will assume ZERO liability and you will be responsible for any and all fraudlent activity. If you log in one day to find your balances zero (or negative), tough tootsie. No sympathy and no reimbursement for you.
Its understandable that stores can have a policy that people must be fully clothed and wear shoes to enter, BUT if a store had a policy that did not allow a man to enter if he wore pink or purple shoes, or running shoes, well that would fall under discrimination because hes willing to wear shoes but of a different color or kind. Same thing with phone numbers. You need a phone number in order to join Paypal because verification is required to send a security code to that number that is on such account. The code can absolutely be sent to a landline phone number thats on the account where the person will hear the code when he picks up the phone in order to confirm it online through his account, but to have a policy that the phone can only be of a certain type such as a mobile or smart phone falls under discrimination and someone could file a complaint against Paypal with whatever department or site that handles such complaints, or even bring it to court to have Paypal and others change their policy.
It is not "discrimination." As said by myself and others, previously in this thread, that word "discrimination" means something very specific with regards to what commercial enterprises may or may not do with their customers.
I absolutely positively have the RIGHT to refuse to allow you into my store if you are wearing purple shoes. I can absolutely positively reject you as a customer, if your hat doesn't match your belt. I may absolutely positively without a doubt say NO YOU MAY NOT USE MY SERVICES if I discover that you have a hibiscus bush in your front yard. And yes, I may refuse to serve you if you don't provide a cell phone number.
These things are NOT protected by the Civil Rights act, and I am NOT violating your "rights" by telling you that you can't be my customer. In fact, I am exercising MY rights when I do so. YOU have the right to buy from someone else.
Get a free Google Voice number. Then have them send the text messages to that number. The number does not need to be assigned to a physical phone. You can send and receive your "text" messages online with a browser.
Google Voice https://voice.google.com
Uh, you need a cell phone number to get a Google Voice number. I suspect it requires a real one, not a temp number or one used by somebody else to get any kind of Google account.
I went to the link. It says enter either phone number or email. By email it means GMAIL. By phone, it means CELL PHONE And Gmail requires a cell phone number to sign up, so if you have a Gmail account you have already given Google your phone number. Maybe if you have an old Gmail account before they required a cell number you could use that, but betting they would still want a cell number if your Gmail account is old enough not to have one associated to it.
It is not "discrimination." As said by myself and others, previously in this thread, that word "discrimination" means something very specific with regards to what commercial enterprises may or may not do with their customers.
I absolutely positively have the RIGHT to refuse to allow you into my store if you are wearing purple shoes. I can absolutely positively reject you as a customer, if your hat doesn't match your belt. I may absolutely positively without a doubt say NO YOU MAY NOT USE MY SERVICES if I discover that you have a hibiscus bush in your front yard. And yes, I may refuse to serve you if you don't provide a cell phone number.
These things are NOT protected by the Civil Rights act, and I am NOT violating your "rights" by telling you that you can't be my customer. In fact, I am exercising MY rights when I do so. YOU have the right to buy from someone else.
Try rejecting a person because of purple skin and guessing you will spend lot time in court.
I use Paypal at least weekly and have never gotten a message to verify my identity. I only get that with bank accounts. They have never texted or emailed me with a code to use like bank accounts do. I only buy on Paypal, never sell. I use my debit card for payments. They don't have my cell phone number. I never linked my checking account to my Paypal account. I don't know why they are subjecting your account to all these identity checks. Have you had any issues with fraudulent charges on your account?
Quote:
Originally Posted by len ren
I have a Paypal account and through the some years when I try to log in it states a security code number will be sent to my mobile phone as a text, but I always had to select "not now" because I don't have a mobile phone and only have one phone number which is my landline phone. Yesterday Paypal locked me out of my account and I had to phone their 800# directly to allow me to log in again and I did verify to them my phone number and they were able to see my phone number on their call display thus matching it to my Paypal account. I logged in today and that same message is appearing again asking me to receive the security code number by text and once again I had to select "not now". Eventually I will be locked out again and this feels not only like discrimination because I must have a mobile phone in order to receive the security code number, but also harassment as well.
My one landline phone number on my Paypal account is my primary phone number that I had to enter for both Landline and Mobile a number of years ago. That number is only a landline phone number and is not a mobile phone number but I HAD TO enter a number for a mobile phone because there was no option to indicate I don't have a mobile phone on my account. And actually, years ago I already did verify my landline phone when they used to send security code numbers to landline phones but since some years ago they are wanting me to verify the same number also as a mobile phone by sending texts when its NOT a mobile phone.
It is very discriminatory that Paypal assumes everyone must have a mobile phone in order to receive texts since they don't have an option to receive the code by landline phone. WHY don't they have an option to send that security code number by landline phone using my same phone number? How many agree this is discrimination? I guess im going to have to keep on contacting Paypal customer support until they resolve this issue by adding an option to send security code number by landline phone.
ANYONE know an online department similar to the BBB who will handle complaints like this?
I have gmail. They didn't require me to have a cell phone. With my online bank accounts that require a security code, they email me the code to my gmail account, then I copy and paste the code to complete the login. They all offer the choice of texting or calling me or emailing me the code. I always use gmail.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HJ99
Uh, you need a cell phone number to get a Google Voice number. I suspect it requires a real one, not a temp number or one used by somebody else to get any kind of Google account.
I went to the link. It says enter either phone number or email. By email it means GMAIL. By phone, it means CELL PHONE And Gmail requires a cell phone number to sign up, so if you have a Gmail account you have already given Google your phone number. Maybe if you have an old Gmail account before they required a cell number you could use that, but betting they would still want a cell number if your Gmail account is old enough not to have one associated to it.
And if you're living on the International Space Station or assigned to McMurdo Station or only speak Swahili? We can go on and on with edge cases but the bottom line is that companies aren't going to spend the time and effort and cost into developing an option that serves only a tiny percentage of their customers. Maybe they consider it worthwhile and may they don't. That's a choice they get to make, not you.
The people that complain about these "nonsense security" things are the first to complain when their accounts get hacked.
Personally, I think they should all offer the option to call them up, verify conclusively who you are, and have them disable verification codes on your account. And be advised that if you choose this option the company will assume ZERO liability and you will be responsible for any and all fraudlent activity. If you log in one day to find your balances zero (or negative), tough tootsie. No sympathy and no reimbursement for you.
Or they could let you use a landline number and hire somebody to actually man their customer service rather than automating to the nth degree. Requiring a cell number is simply cheap and convenient for them. Plus lets them tie your personal info to a cell phone, so collected info from various sources by the data collection companies can be linked together. In other words linking info to a cell number ISNT FOR YOUR BENEFIT, its to make selling of your data more profitable. I worry much more about their lax security in protecting their consumer info database than I am somebody stealing my password. Business doesnt have a good reputation for protecting consumer personal data. Some have been caught not even doing the most basic effort to protect their database.
Or they could let you use a landline number and hire somebody to actually man their customer service rather than automating to the nth degree. Requiring a cell number is simply cheap and convenient for them.
They could. Or they could not. Thing is, that's their call not yours. Don't like it? Don't do business with them. You can bet that someone like paypal has run lots of metrics and determined that the cost of implementing and maintaining additional options exceeds the cost of losing a handul of customers living in 1995. They are in business to make a profit not perform a social service for society.
I would add, time is on their side. Every year the percentage of people without a cell phone declines. If it wasn't worthwhile for them to address last year, it isn't going to be next year.
I have gmail. They didn't require me to have a cell phone. With my online bank accounts that require a security code, they email me the code to my gmail account, then I copy and paste the code to complete the login. They all offer the choice of texting or calling me or emailing me the code. I always use gmail.
I have no phone linked to my Gmail account, not that I use it much. BUT I GOT IT LONG AGO WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED OFFERING GMAIL ACCOUNTS and nobody was asking for a cell phone number. They have suggested I give them a cell number but havent demanded it. I suspect you got yours also before they required a cell phone number. As I stated, I looked at every free email out there and only Protonmail.com offered an account with no cell info. There is some Russian email called Yanex that will let you sign up without a cell, but lot comments that couple weeks later they will block your account claiming suspected fraud and then REQUIRE a cell number.
As said many times if its FREE to use then YOU ARE THE PRODUCT. They are selling your info.
I have an old AOL email too. Some different company bought the AOL email and wanted me to relink to AOL with new settings if I wanted to continue to POP3 email from it. Ok I also dont use it much but when I moved to another computer, Thunderbird tried and couldnt connect, had to go to website and they WANTED MY CELL NUMBER. First effort they wouldnt let me go beyond certain point without a confirmation cell number text, but cant remember, chased various links until I then got to a screen where tiny tiny button to say I would do it later. Then Thunderbird could pop3 again. They still dont have my cell number. I will abandon the account before I will give it to them.
Try to sign up for Gmail TODAY! You wont without a cell number to confirm it. There are some sites trying to suggest work around methods. Nope. And they will reject it if you use a number already used to confirm an account.
I have to say if Protonmail ever stops offering free account without without sharing personal info, I will go to a pay email account. Again and again, if its free, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT. And alas you are the product sometimes even if you pay, companies have no morals and will do what is most profitable as long as no government is standing over them with a big stick.
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