A chat with Ebay 'Customer Services'

So I use Ebay frequently, but I've started getting a problem when looking at my account. Every three to four times I access my account, it makes me verify I am who I say I am

 

This entails first doing the Captcha verification, then they send me an email with a code I need to imput

 

The verification message says they may ask for this occasionally, but it's happening so often, it's getting very frustrating

 

I decided to try contacting Ebays' customer services, which is just an online chat, to see if they can do anything. I wasn't optomistic, so I wasn't disappointed with the end result, which was frustrating to the point of comedy

 

This is a transcript of my conversation

(Items in ** added by me)

Escalation from eBay Helpbot

2022 - 08 - 15

07:25:04 UTC Bijay

Hello, my name is Bijay, please allow me a few moments to catch up on your conversation so far.

07:25:45 UTC Bijay

Hello Bucko, Hope you and your family is well and healthy.

07:26:19 UTC Bijay

I would like to thank you for your loyalty and staying with our platform for more than 17 years.

*urge to kill rising here*

07:26:34 UTC Bijay

Could you please elaborate your concern so that I can help you with best way possible.

*Me typing*

07:28:07 UTC Bijay

I don't mean to rush you. I just want to make sure that we're still connected.

07:28:09 UTC buckothebusinessman

I keep being asked to verify I am who I say I am. It says we may occasionally ask, but it's almost a daily thing now. It's my pc and it's getting tedious. Can this verification be turned off?

07:28:35 UTC Bijay

I'm sorry to hear about the inconvenience caused to you. Please be assured I will help you in best possible way.

07:30:11 UTC Bijay

May I know when is it asking you to verify the account?

07:31:08 UTC buckothebusinessman

When I click a bookmark or link to enter eBay. Not every time, but very often

*Nothing for five minutes*

07:32:37 UTC buckothebusinessman

I don't mean to rush you. I just want to make sure that we're still connected

07:33:24 UTC Bijay

There is a dedicated team that handles these queries, they have all the information regarding this. Let me transfer this concern to them.

07:33:43 UTC Varun

Hi, my name is Varun , please allow me a few moments to catch up on your conversation so far.

07:35:26 UTC Varun

Hello Bucko.

07:36:11 UTC Varun

Could you please summarize your concern so that I can check what best can be done?

*Me typing*

07:37:11 UTC Varun

Awaiting your kind response.

07:37:21 UTC buckothebusinessman

Seriously? I've just done all that. I keep being asked to verify my identity when using my own pc. It's constant and I want it to stop

07:38:10 UTC Varun

Thank you for sharing your concern.

07:38:14 UTC Varun

To best assist you with this concern, I need to transfer you to the specialized team. May I go ahead and connect you with them?

07:38:31 UTC buckothebusinessman

Yes

07:39:03 UTC Varun

Thank you for confirming. Please keep in mind that there may be a wait time of 1 minute for next available representative. Also, I will note down the concern so my colleague understands exactly why you've contacted us today.

07:40:04 UTC Aira

Hi, my name is Aira from Trust and Safety, please allow me a few moments to catch up on your conversation so far.

07:41:14 UTC Aira

I can see here that you contacting us about the verification when accessing on your account is that right?

07:41:31 UTC buckothebusinessman

Yes

07:43:53 UTC Aira

It seems that your concern is related to another department. One of my colleague will be able to assist you better in this matter.. Would you mind holding while I transfer you to them?

07:44:38 UTC buckothebusinessman

Yes. I suppose I'll get the right department eventually

07:45:06 UTC Aira

Thank you for the permission. Please stay online while I connect you with the relevant team.

07:45:17 UTC Mohini

Hi, my name is Mohini, please allow me a few moments to catch up on your conversation so far.

07:49:08 UTC Mohini

Hello Bucko!

07:50:35 UTC Mohini

Just to confirm, you want to not get the phone verification when you try to login?

07:51:04 UTC buckothebusinessman

Yes. Because it happens far too often

07:54:02 UTC Mohini

I would like to share enhanced security procedures have been applied to your account. These are required under the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2), a regulation affecting users in the United Kingdom and the EU.

07:54:10 UTC Mohini

As a result, you may be subject to additional verification, including by asking you to re-enter your login credentials or a one-time code sent to you via SMS when you undertake certain activities on eBay.

07:55:40 UTC buckothebusinessman

I'm sure you can see from my activity history that it's happening way more often than anything required by any laws

07:59:22 UTC Mohini

Bucko, In this case please stay connected while I connect you with specialised team.

*Third transfer. Fourth person*

07:59:32 UTC Jimboy

Hi, my name is Jimboy, please allow me a few moments to catch up on your conversation so far.

*Jimboy? WTF?*

08:00:58 UTC Jimboy

Hello there, Bucko. First of all, I'm sorry if this chat has been transferred several times.

08:01:23 UTC Jimboy

Just to confirm, you are still able to login on your account and only wish to turn off the verification prompts, correct?

08:02:02 UTC buckothebusinessman

Correct

08:03:53 UTC Jimboy

Thanks for confirming. To answer your request directly, we are unable to remove the verification prompt as this is our new security features on the site. Multi-factor authentication is an extra security feature on eBay that means we may sometimes ask you to verify your identity when performing certain actions on eBay.

08:04:36 UTC Jimboy

Let me also further explain why you are encountering this. Due to the launch of payment accounts and to comply with EU and UK regulations, eBay has to perform extra verification of sellers when they access certain information or initiate payments.

08:04:53 UTC Jimboy

We launched this new process as an added protection for you. This new process works like your bank in that it sends a code to your mobile to verify you to ensure no one can access your account without your permission.

08:05:26 UTC buckothebusinessman

Sometimes, would be fine. It's Evey few times I use my account. My bank does it sometimes. You do not

08:06:59 UTC Jimboy

Just to confirm, are you currently using a VPN or incognito/private browsers? If yes, this may be the reason why you are being prompted to complete our verification process.

08:07:18 UTC buckothebusinessman

No

08:07:52 UTC buckothebusinessman

Home pc. Standard connection through Sky

08:09:13 UTC Jimboy

I see, thanks for sharing this information and just to confirm, may I kindly ask when you are being prompted to complete our verification? Is there a certain eBay pages or are you being prompted everytime you go to other eBay pages?

08:11:19 UTC buckothebusinessman

There doesn't seem to be a pattern. I access eBay through my bookmarks in Firefox. It also does it if I click an email link like answer a question or print a label

08:12:51 UTC Jimboy

Thanks for sharing this information. Generally, we’ll only ask for your username and password when signing in to eBay.. However, there may be times when we need to verify your identity, for example, if you haven’t signed in for more than 90 days. In this case, we’ll ask for additional information such as a one-time code sent to your trusted device.

08:13:29 UTC buckothebusinessman

I log in frequently during the day

08:14:35 UTC Jimboy

Do you frequently used different devices/computer?

08:15:18 UTC buckothebusinessman

Yes. Four devices. The same thing happens whichever I use

08:16:31 UTC Jimboy

Thanks for confirming. As you are using different devices, please be assured this is part of the new security measures. Now that we are offering payment accounts, we are required to verify you when you perform certain actions, even if you have recently verified your identity.

08:18:38 UTC buckothebusinessman

I would have thought using multiple devices would be normal for most people. It is going to get tedious if I have to verify so often. It's long winded too: first the captcha, then the email code. You can't do anything about it?

08:20:38 UTC Jimboy

I know how you feel about this. As we are increasingly looking for ways to improve the site, I have taken the liberty of sending your email to our site developers as a suggestion. They will be looking in to this issue with priority.

08:20:59 UTC buckothebusinessman

Thanks

08:22:14 UTC Jimboy

You're most welcome. It's my pleasure to assist a valuable and understanding eBay member like you.

08:22:16 UTC Jimboy

Is there anything else I can take a look at for you today?

08:22:29 UTC buckothebusinessman

No thanks

08:23:16 UTC Jimboy

You're welcome and it’s been a pleasure chatting with you today. Thank you for using eBay. I hope you have a good day.

08:23:18 UTC

Chat ended by Jimboy

 

Fucking Hell! 😁