Forced Password Change

[Nick_W2]

What’s with this forced password change stuff?

Tried to buy something today, and I get a "suspicious activity message", PayPal "suggests" that I change my password. But! I have no option. There is no "suspicious activity", but I have to change my password. OMG what a pain.

So, go to change password, then it wants to verify it’s me with a phone call. Like we are living in the 1980s or something. Unreal. So go ahead, call me, text messages obviously don’t exist. It then says it called me (which it didn’t), and can’t verify who I am.

So I give up on the purchase (thanks PayPal), and log into the PayPal web page. Same rubbish about "suspicious activity", must change password. Now I have to check a box that says I’m not a robot, and then I have to select pictures of storefronts!

Absolutely the most bizarre of things. PayPal, there is no "suspicious activity" I don’t want to change my password, answer calls, pick pictures. I want to buy my item, and PayPal is quick and easy. If you are not quick and easy, you have no point in existing, I might as well use my credit card.

Does no-one else think this behaviour is asinine?

And no, for the umpteenth time, I am not a Robot!

[grene]

Same thing happened to me so I called customer service, 10 minutes wait and after verifying the account I was told they detected someone trying to log in using a location I'd not previously used, but they wouldn't tell me where. I asked because I have satellite internet and have location services off, so my  location is often mistaken as being where the satellite service comes back to earth - Florida, yet I live in Colorado. I tried to explain this to her but she asked where I was right now and I told her home in Colorado.... then she says she needs to get me to a customer account representative, puts me on hold and 45 minutes later I hang up because no one picks up the call. What a total load of BS.... my devices have not changed, the IP is always the same, never use PayPal outside my home, and yet they have some fraud system suggesting I'm somewhere else because they can't get a GPS position on me due to my location services being off. Now that's some good customer service, coupled with the 45 minute wait I'm wondering why I even have a PayPal account!

[OK-Net]

Pretty sure I get this because I dare to use VPN... I know I have different location, why force me to change my password?! And helping Google self driving cars by having to tell them where are all the cyclists, motorbikes, busses, crosswalks, traffic lights, and store fronts  is such a pain in the **bleep**. I joined PayPal so I can easily pay on the web, not to train Google AI for free.

PS: Having to tell about the crossroads, cars, and busses to send the comment as well. Seriously?! I hope Google will let me use their cars for free now.

[Pbtrezza]

Even to make a comment you have to say I’m not a robot and check the photos. It’s so dumb. And no one replies to these concerns

[wpenno]

Yes I use a VPN also and will always use a VPN for my own protection online.  I simply change my password as requested by paypal the after logged in I immediately change it back to what it was. 

[Pbtrezza]

Why???? No one can get an answer. This is so stupid!!

[Chris512]

I've also had this problem and I'm using a VPN.

It's very bizarre to have to change your password during checkout, I had to go back and look carefully to make sure it was actually PayPal and not an attempt to steal my information. Moreover, the security feature doesn't really make sense. If the purchase was, in fact, being made by someone other than me, why would they be given the opportunity to change my password?

I don't think using location data to add complexity and making users feel uneasy is a good move. VPN usage (or similar) should not affect user experience, hopefully this will be addressed.

[amarotica]

I know this is an old topic, but has someone found a fix? Does 2 factor authentication stop this? I don't care if someone attempts to login to my account. It only matters if they get in and transfer money... I have changed my password probably 15 times in the last two months.

[bertvert]

I'm really getting tired of changing my password about every week. It's ridiculous!!!!!!! It keeps up and I'm going to stop using paypal!!!!!

[swalker3061]

I have had to change my password about 20 times in the last 4 months, I have used so many passwords that I cant even keep track of my paypal password anymore nor how to keep coming up with new ones. I cant reach anyone on phone about this issue and ofcoarse I need a password to get online rep assisitance! Im so over this, not only do i use Paypal to purchase items but I run a business and need to send a few invoices out each day and cant send invoice if I cant get into my own account! Now if only someone at Paypal actually read any of these comments -that would be great!