What's up with demanding cell phone numbers?

[randian]

Yandex is very aggressive at asking for an SMS-capable phone number just about every time you do something in its web interface. At least you can set up an account without one, though. jubii.dk will create your account without one, but you can't use it until you give up your cell phone number (and it only accepts Danish cell phone numbers, so I had to abandon my account). And of course Google wants your number, but it's not nearly as aggressive as the previous two. This is a really annoying trend.

[webecedarian]

Funny, I posted about that when Hotmail started demanding additional information, like telephone numbers, on the pretext of helping you in case you lost your password.

No way would I ever provide that.

[randian]

Originally Posted by webecedarian

No way would I ever provide that.

Same for me. So far as I know they don't (yet) spam the number you provide. I don't know why the European providers are more aggressive at wanting a number. Also not clear if locking out foreigners is an intended side effect of the cell phone requirement.

[FredOnline]

Ever since 2FA has been an available option on both Hotmail/outlook.com and Gmail, both have my cell 'phone number.

I have no problem with that.

[randian]

Originally Posted by FredOnline

Ever since 2FA has been an available option on both Hotmail/outlook.com and Gmail, both have my cell 'phone number.

Since my password can't be cracked in a useful timeframe without torturing me, in which case they'd have physical possession of my phone too, I don't see the point of 2FA. I don't want to give out my phone number because I'm worried about text spam, and because I'm generally opposed to giving out unnecessary information about myself.

[FredOnline]

Originally Posted by randian

I don't want to give out my phone number because I'm worried about text spam

I've never had text spam from ANYONE - maybe it's because of the country I live in (maybe it's different in other countries, I don't know), or because I don't give out my cell number to anyone but close contacts.

If I have to give out a 'phone number for whatever reason on the internet, I give a Flextel number that I can monitor, and Flextel numbers do not accept (at time of writing, anyway) SMS text messages.

[randian]

Originally Posted by FredOnline

If I have to give out a 'phone number for whatever reason on the internet, I give a Flextel number that I can monitor, and Flextel numbers do not accept (at time of writing, anyway) SMS text messages.

Numbers that accept SMS are specifically required by the services I mentioned. They send you a code to verify.

[Bamb0]

Originally Posted by webecedarian

Funny, I posted about that when Hotmail started demanding additional information, like telephone numbers, on the pretext of helping you in case you lost your password.

No way would I ever provide that.

Just enter all 0s or a bogus #...

[randian]

Originally Posted by Bamb0

Just enter all 0s or a bogus #...

Doesn't work for accounts that demand activation by SMS code.

[danieldk]

Originally Posted by randian

Since my password can't be cracked in a useful timeframe without torturing me, in which case they'd have physical possession of my phone too, I don't see the point of 2FA.

Simple: your machine is infected by keystroke-logging malware or exploited through 0-day vulnerability in your operating system, webbrowser or some other software. Now they can log your password (even if you use a password manager), and log on to the associated account.

Pulling that of with 2FA is much harder, because then your computer and phone should be compromised at the same time.

[mister]

It is now impossible to sign up for Gmail or Yahoo without a phone.
http://receivefreesms.com/
https://www.raymond.cc/blog/top-10-s...without-phone/
These sites may be helpful.

[randian]

Originally Posted by mister

It is now impossible to sign up for Gmail or Yahoo without a phone.
http://receivefreesms.com/
https://www.raymond.cc/blog/top-10-s...without-phone/
These sites may be helpful.

Interesting, though many countries aren't represented. For example, I don't think you can get an SMS-capable number for Hungary or Denmark or Finland. For some reason it's easy to find a free SMS account for sending SMS but much more difficult to find one to receive SMS.

[Dutchie007]

Several (free) email services have my cell number.(among Gmail,Yandex,Mail.ru and QIP.ru)..never ever I have had a spam text. They use it merely as a second security feauture.

I have no problem with that.

Facebook however is a different story.....;-)

Dutchie