Secure key bug?

[nup]

Message sent to Paypal email today - is this an issue that you have noticed & can provide help with please? "There appears to be a significant bug in your new 'secure key' handling software. I have registered my mobile phone for this purpose so that you can send an SMS with the secure key code when I login. However when i attempt to pay vendors through Paypal on my iPad several times now when I enter my password only (no secure key added) I'm told that I should have entered my password & secure key together where it's assumed the secure key is available on my dedicated secure key device which I do not possess - you give no option to send the key via SMS. Is this a recognised bug & Is there a workaround for this?"

[PayPal_Siobhán]

Hi there nup,

Have you activated the security key? 

When you log in, press the Send SMS button and check your mobile phone for the text message with a 6-digit security code. If you’re trying to use the PayPal app on your mobile phone instead of logging in through our website on your phone, you only need to enter the security code when logging in using your email and password. Enter the security key number after your password (no spaces). If you use your mobile phone and PIN, no security code is required.

Let us know how you get on, 

Siobhan 

[nup]

Thanks Siobhan for your reply. I replied several days ago to Conor's suggestions to an earlier thread titled 'PIN number' as follows although it looks as if my reply has been removed for some reason -

"I've registered with Paypal to use two of the methods suggested, mobile phone and VIP Access. When prompted by PayPal to send me the security code by SMS this works fine.

However use of the VIP Access generated 6 digit code with alternative Paypal prompts that only ask for my password but also expect the 6 digit code does not work. So is there something else that needs to be considered when entering the VIP 6 digit code, perhaps because I've only registered the VIP Credential ID with Paypal today i need to allow a period of time before Paypal recognises the 6 digit codes for my Credential ID?

Or is the issue with the use of the VIP Access app on my iPad as each time I go into it it generates a new 6 digit code immediately which I then switch out of into Paypal to append this code to my password. Should I use the immediate code or wait 30 seconds for the next one?

What a mess. If you are going to introduce an extra layer of security why make it such a pain to setup and administer."

Presumably my reply was removed because of the final sentence complaining about the service.

There appear to be several aspects of your secure key interface with customers that do not work as expected or are unclear or inconsistent -

1. An example - I received an email from Paypal inviting me to donate to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Philippines Typhoon Appeal. When clicking on this link in the email on my iPad 3 (iOS 7) it took me to your website (on Safari) with a DEC heading where it prompted me to enter just my password (no additional prompt for secure key) which I did. It then took me to another Paypal page again with a DEC heading where it again asked me just for my password (again no additional prompt for secure key at this stage). So on entering just my password it then reminded me that I had to add the number 'on your security key' (again no reference to the alternative VIP Access app) to the end of my password (sigh...). To do this I had to switch from Safari on my iPad to the VIP Access app to generate the 6 digit code, remember it (as the app gives no option to copy), go back into Safari, enter my password and then enter the 6 digit code (hopefully correctly remembered). However, this does not work and it's not me mis-remembering the code as I have tried several times over several days and it fails every time. All I get is another Paypal page saying 'We are unable to validate your information. Please try again.

2. As above but this time I thought I'd use your SMS option to generate the code and send it to my phone. But I cannot as no option is given for this on your web page, it assumes only that it can be generated by your physical device or the VIP Access app.

3. When logging in to this forum, I was asked for my Papal password which I entered and was then prompted on the following screen to either enter a generated code from what appears to be just the Paypal physical device that can do this or from my registered mobile phone. This is misleading as it does not explain that selecting the first option also allows for the secure code to be generated by the VIP Access app. However this does work, sort of. When I first entered the VIP code and then closed my iPad keyboard so that I could see the whole screen before tapping 'Submit', all I got in response was a blank screen with the following words 'Fatal Failure'. So I back paged, generated a new VIP code and this time tapped Submit without first closing the on screen keyboard - which worked.

It really does seem strange to me that an organisation the size of Paypal can put out a software change this important but so apparently misleading and inoperable. PS to all of the above - why does your web page (or Safari?) remove all paragraphing from the pasted text? - makes it very difficult to read. Had to go to my PC to re-edit in all the paragraphs...

UPDATE - repeated 1 above (Paypal / DEC donation) through my PC using the VIP code generated on my iPad and all worked without a problem. So the issue on using the VIP code on an iPad is possibly to do with the need to switch between the Safari and VIP apps on the same device? 

[Mightybaconman]

I also have this problem. Directed to paypal from a website checkout screen, prompted to enter email and password and unable to log in as the error response requests that I enter the password and security key, which I do not have. I would have expected my email and password to get me past stage one and then to be prompted to enter the 5 minute numerical code sent to my mobile by paypal as the second level of security? Is there a resolution yet?

[Paul700]

This problem still exists. Been in touch with customer services twice but been given duff advice on both occasions, does anyone have a fix?

[Melvynb]

Shocked to see this is still a problem a year on! I cannot login to PayPal using Ipad or mobile... Asks for secure key to be added to the end of the password... So retry with 6 digit secure key on the end and always it fails the validation check... secure key works fine from the PC browser interface - also to post this message I was given the normal PC interface for the secure key entry - which of course works fine... It means I cannot use PayPal with my mobile devices at all unless I remove the secure key authentication - which would be a step backwards from a security viewpoint. Please could you sort this out PayPal or give the mobile browser the option to use the PC interface which would be absolutely fine on an IPad!

[nup]

Thanks but your suggestion IS the problem - when attempting to make purchases via Safari on my iPad I do NOT get the usual 'Send SMS' button option - it simply asks for the password and assumes I have appended the 6 digit security code. It seems to be an issue with every retailer I attempt to purchase through on Safari as follows - 1. The retailer webpage redirects me to PayPal that only asks for my password - 2. On entering just my password, PayPal takes me to another page that asks me for my password again but gives me no option to request the SMS send first. 3. After entering my password to the second request it responds with the following messages - Please add the number on your security key to the end of the password to login Your session has timed out, please login again.

[Paul700]

Exactly what nup said. I've explained this to PayPal twice. The first response said 'remove the secure code then', the second response advised me to install the PayPal app, well that has the same problem! Any chance that anyone from PayPal is listening??....

[tonyhoz]

Paul700 and nup seem to have it covered. No one at PP has got to grips with this problem. And it it a problem since it prevents the use use of what was a good site. Come on PP sort it out, and while you are at it be clear on what you mean CODE, KEY, PASSWORD or PIN

[Paul700]

Had a tweet from PP last week to say they're working on this as a priority. Lol, some priority! Imagine if they weren't rushing.....