topic Re: Two Factor For Chat??? in General Zazzle Discussion

Two Factor For Chat???

glitterandchic — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:26:01 GMT

I realize that Zazzle is having issues with the Chat and spammers, however, having to go through two factor authorization every single time a customer writes to me with a question is too much! Way too much. I wasn't thrilled with this feature in the first place because I feel it confuses customers. However, that being said, if I have to go through this process to have an ongoing chat with customers over a design, I'm absolutely done. It should be able to verify us ONCE, and then allow us free use of the chat. I had to authorize several times just to discuss a design with the same customer. If you want the designers to talk with your customers about our designs don't make it time consuming and difficult. At present I will be ignoring customers that request chats until this is improved. I just don't make the much on these customized designs and about half the time they don't even order.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Cat — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 18:46:10 GMT

WTF?!? My phone plan charges me by the message. So now I have to pay for the privilege of telling customers that I can't help them with shipping and they need to contact customer support?!? Seriously?!?

I'm actually a little bit freaked out by this. Is it even for real or has Zazzle been hacked? I'm not giving out my phone number until a Zazzle moderator confirms that this isn't a scam of some sort.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Malissa — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:33:46 GMT

I have been able to enter the chat system several times without re entering the info after the first attempt. someone could send me a message to test it out, but maybe its a browser setting causing the multiple requests?

That said, I think this is a reaction to the insane amount of chat spammers we have and is a step forward as far as that is concerned.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Cat — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 19:51:24 GMT

I finally gave up and entered my phone number, but it took so long for the message to arrive that when it finally did the code had expired and I had to have them re-send it. I was able to get into chat (yippie! I get to tell another customer that I'm not the right person to contact - sorry for the sarcasm, but over 90% of the chats should go to customer support not to me.) Then I closed the chat screen and tried entering it again to see what would happen. Half the time I got the popup asking for my phone number again, and half the time I didn't. But I was able to make the message go away by refreshing the screen. I think maybe those were screens I had open before I verified with my phone number?

If this is for real and not some sort of a scam, I'm OK with it as long as it can remember me and not make me re-enter a code every single time. Even entering it once a day is a pain - I'm not one of those people who leaves their phone on all the time. I work from home so I have an emergencies only plan and I only turn on the phone when I'm going out.

There are Zazzle designers who don't have cell phones though. What are they going to do?

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

James — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:33:45 GMT

Hi everyone,

This is not a bug. We can confirm this is a new feature that we just announced, here.

Thank you.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Babawich — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:38:31 GMT

This is great. Can we also get this for our whole account and not just chat?

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

James — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:38:36 GMT

You should only have to verify via sms once to be able to chat. If you are experiencing something else, please let us know.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

WHS_Designs — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:30:26 GMT

the article New Feature: SMS Verification - Zazzle says "within the U.S.", but when I log into the Zazzle Canadian domain, I'm being prompted for my phone number on chat there, too (and asked to tell Zazzle more about myself). I hope I don't have to verify on every single Zazzle domain every time I sign on and someone sends me a chat request!

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

DesertSky — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 00:44:37 GMT

Please NO! Or make it an opt in option so that those of us who do not want to go through it are not forced to. Thanks.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Babawich — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 01:19:40 GMT

Should be opt in like a lot of other services. I for one would have it on for better security. I do it for everything else especially when it involves money and personal info.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Jadendreamer13 — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 01:57:32 GMT

I never get any chat requests. Maybe that’s because I don’t design for the wedding niche….

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

WHS_Designs — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:51:29 GMT

FYI, it's a one and done for me ... did it once (signed into the .uk domain) and I don't have to do it again for the other domains).

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

ColsCreations — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 05:57:10 GMT

2FA is such a pain but it's everywhere these days. Usually though it's used as an extra step for logging into an account. After you go through username & pw (which a hacker could have), it sends the verification code to the phone number you have on file and even if the hacker knows your number as well, they don't have your actual device to see the verification code needed to finish logging in.

I don't understand at all what this is accomplishing for chat though. You can't send a message anonymously; if you try it prompts you to log-in or create an account. Once you enter your phone number, it says "thank you, your phone number has been verified". What does that actually mean? Is it checking some public records database to see if the name on the phone account matches that on the zazzle account to verify it's your own phone number? Is it just verifying somehow that it's a real in-operation US phone number? I don't understand what's stopping spammers from just entering a phone number and receiving the verification code like everyone else?

I just went through my account settings and chat settings and don't see anywhere to view and change the number we entered for this. I'm glad I didn't make a typo and put the wrong one in.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Cat — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 06:38:05 GMT

Same thoughts. You could just enter any phone number, it's not like they already have a phone number on file for you that you've independently verified, so the scammer can just enter their own number. And if you have to re-enter the phone number each time it REALLY defeats the purpose. Maybe they're checking against a database of known scammers? Who knows.

I dunno. Part of my grumpiness here is just that while I own a smartphone, I have real trouble making it do anything. But it appears that using it is going to be a requirement for participation in modern life so perhaps I need to invest some time in figuring it out. I do this every few months, but since I don't have any real reasons to use the thing, I promptly forget everything I learned. Someday I'll figure out how to find my apps! Sigh.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Mariholly — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 06:40:53 GMT

And if you are anywhere else outside the United States? If you don't provide your phone number, will the customer not be able to ask you questions? Are you thinking primarily about greater security against spammers? Then, as already mentioned, the spammer will receive your code, and you'll be able to chat without any issues, the spam filter will work and block them... And so on in an infinite loop, just like with fake phone calls? I'm not really sure it will work if that's going to be the use. I haven't received any notification yet when logging in.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Connie — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 19:15:32 GMT

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! WE DO NOT WANT IT FOR OUR WHOLE ACCOUNT!!!!!!!!! AFTER RECAPTCHA IT IS THE WORST PAIN IN THE NECK EVER INVENTED!!!!!!!!

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

CrazyMermaid — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 19:23:56 GMT

I am not dealing with this. I would rather deal with spammers than this. I haven't been enjoying the customer service part that much anyway. They can just figure out they need to deal with Zazzle customer service.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

CrazyMermaid — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 20:17:24 GMT

I actually have three smart phones that I use for different purposes. There is one that I always keep in the same drawer so I can call my personal cell phone when I lose it. Then I have a business phone. I guess I could use the drawer phone for my verification phone if I have to. The two extras are just tracfones and not very expensive. I do get charged by the message though. So I will be really pissed off if I start getting charged for incoming messages that should be for Zazzle customer service. If I only get charged for replies, I won't be making any. Finally given the track record that other changes have had on Zazzle I am going to wait a while before even considering doing this. Usually something needs to be fixed.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

Cat — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 20:21:38 GMT

Hahahaha! I love that you have a phone that's sole purpose is to use to find your other phone!

Anyhow, if it's any consolation, I went to chat today to see if it would ask me to verify myself again and it didn't. I don't log out when I close my browser though, so it keeps me logged in. Not sure what would happen if you try to open chat after you log out and log back in.

Re: Two Factor For Chat???

ColsCreations — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 21:49:48 GMT

Same. I submitted a phone # to be "verified" last night. In my regular everyday browser where I am always still signed in to Zazzle unless I purposefully sign-out, I did not have to re-enter a phone number to access chat. Today I tried a different "virgin" browser that is set to not save/remember anything, and once I logged into Z w/ name & PW, I was able to access chat with NO additional requirements for a phone number. So while there may be some glitches, it does appear that the Mods are absolutely correct in that you only have to enter a phone number one time to get it on record, then after that as long as you're logged into your account you can access chat with no issues/restrictions/prompts about 2FA & a phone number.

And oh my gosh yes @CrazyMermaid really made me laugh re having one phone whose sole purpose it to locate another phone. 🤣 Oh, the joys of technology.