PSD2 Disability Discrimination by Paypal?

[Kuriologist]

So I recently received information from Paypal that I must add my mobile phone number.

Have been with Paypal since 2004.

The problem: (i) don't have a mobile phone  (ii) live in a mobile signal dead zone (iii) am disability housebound. 

So I tried to get help/clarity from Paypal customer service via email. 

Once you get past the bot ,WOW! Are they hostile, belligerent & unhelpful!

Received a blunt, curt & very unhelpful response from Yusani - Give your mobile no. or close your Paypal account.

But I had also tried an alternative route to get information via Paypal on twitter (They at least tried to be helpful).

Twitter Paypal sent me this as a possible work around...trouble is I so now distrust Paypal employees in Paypal customer service  I need to know if this is a viable work around for the PSD2 conundrum of 'No Mobile Phone':

 "Checked with the relevant department, and for the users without a mobile phone, we recommend this option below:

1)Download and install Desktop version of VIP Access from- vip. symantec. com 

2) Login to account, go to Settings -> Profile -> Enable 2FA on the account

3)Open VIP Access Token on Desktop

4)Follow steps to register Symantec Security Key – (Add Serial Number and 2 One Time Passwords generated by the Token)

5)2FA Enabled, which is SCA compliant. You will now be asked to add the Symantec One Time Password at login instead of a One Time Password sent via SMS.

I hope this helps to resolve your issue".

PLEASE can someone at Paypal confirm the above is a workable work around to not having a mobile phone to comply with Paypal enforcement of PSD2

...Oh & someone sack Yusani, Paypal really does not need negative employees like that.

[PayPal_Rachael]

Hi @Kuriologist,

Thanks for posting this.

I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience contacting us on the phone. I can confirm that the information you have been given on Twitter is correct. This is the workaround for PSD2 if you do not have a mobile phone. 

Rachael 

[richard193]

Hi,

Can you use other 2FA methods such as google authenicator or Authy.

[mngerhold]

I have been messaging with someone (Jennifer) from Paypal about this, and just received the same instructions.  I downloaded and installed the Symantec VIP s/w, tested it, then tried to setup 2FA as advised.  Settings>Profile>Enable 2FA does not exist, so I tried Settings>security>setup-2-step verification, which offers me a QR code (no use) or tells me to type 'the secret key in to your authenticator app' but the VIP s/w does not allow any form of data entry!  So I cannot progress further.  Awaiting further instructions...

Will update if any progress...

[mngerhold]

So much for that!  Today, I get a reply to my complaint that the instructions don't work:

Steven  7:28 AM

Hi Martin, I know how important for you to make sure that the additional security check would be compatible on your end, no worries the above provided is the best alternative, if ever it didn't work on your end, it would be best to try refreshing the device you're using if the error still remains, you can as well try this second option for this one, Thank you!

-User: Download and install Desktop version of VIP Access from https: // vip.symantec.com

-User: Login to account, go to Settings à Profile à Enable 2FA on the account

-User: Open VIP Access Token on Desktop

-User: Follow steps to register Symantec Security Key – (Add Serial Number and 2 One Time Passwords generated by the Token)

-2FA Enabled which is SCA compliant. User will now be asked to add the Symantec One Time Password at login instead of a One Time Password sent via SMS.

For future reference we have a Help Center and Community Channel that you can easily locate on our website. Just look for Help and Contact at the bottom of any PayPal page.  Feel free to reply whenever you're ready and we'll reply as soon as we can.

Complete and utter rubbish!  Apparently no awareness of what my response meant, they just repeat the same stuff (refresh my device indeed - its a PC!!!).  If this is the best paypal can do, I won't be with them for long.  As those of us without SMS access are so few in number, I can't see them bothering.  oh well.

Now the message won't post because of (invisible) invalid HTML!!!

[mngerhold]

Without Paypal's messaging help (!) I found this link: http://cochinoman.com/2017/09/03/add-symantec-vip-access-paypal-account/

which (even though it is dated 2017) still helps.  It points one at a Paypal page to setup VIP, or similar authenticators:

https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_setup-security-key

and this still works.  As the VIP app has no 'next' button I just waited for the second code to appear:

and it works.  As Paypal has been insisting on a code each time I log in (lately), I just tried it and logged in fine.  I cannot tell if anyone will ever see this, or if they can see the screen shots I included, but it may help someone.

Of course, the someone who really needs help is Paypal themselves!

[markedasred]

So I've taken your useful advice, but I am still unable to log in to paypal because of PSD2, so the 2 step authentication is impossible to include in my settings!. I rang paypal yesterday and they did not mention this as an option, and could not remove the "out of country" zero prefix from my phone number (i.e change 0<removed> to +44 <removed> from the US to the Uk), so I am locked out of my paypal account by paypal, who like you I have been with for at least 15 years, never having any issues in either direction before this weekend. I had to send my daughter to school with a can of pop and some biscuits because all my income goes to the bank via paypal, and I could not put money in the bank.

[mngerhold]

Well, just back from holiday abroad, and try to log in to Paypal to check a transaction: guess what?  They don't let me near anything until I enter a mobile phone number!

Note no options to do anything else!  Quite absurd.  Of course, it turns out that if I access Paypal via this page: <link removed in case it is the offending HTML - more nonsense!> then it seems I am already logged in!  And guess what - I won't be logging out any time soon.  I have no confidence they will sort this mess out, and I am such a small player in their world, I doubt they'll care if they lose me.  Shame (on them).  It would be good to hear from someone who had cracked this silly situation.  Martin the frustrated

[mngerhold]

This was the picture: but I expect this completely anonymous screen shot is blocked by Paypal's silly censors.

[mngerhold]

OK, I don't know what the problem was, but with no way to edit posts it will remain a mess - sorry!