[elphinstone]

I recently tried to sign up for paypal, "tried" being the operative word since their garbage, broken processes couldn't verify me despite bank info, etc.

After seeing their profound incompetence at customer acquisition, ineptitude on the security front is no surprise.

[ryandrake]

I think in general, it's getting harder and harder to 1. newly sign up for online services, and 2. come back to these services after long periods of inactivity. Everyone's got overly-aggressive automation that blocks you for no discernible reason, and endlessly requests more and more invasive "verification" schemes.

I hardly ever use my Microsoft account. Probably haven't logged into it for years. But recently I wanted to give my kid a few bucks to spend on Minecraft micro transactions, and boy, just logging in was a nightmare of verifications and codes and resets. And then making a purchase? Instantly denied with a vague error message that directed me to contact what turned out to be their fraud department. Totally user-hostile, when I'm just trying to get them to take my money.

The security tail seems to be wagging the dog at these companies.

[kilroy123]

I've noticed this as well. It's kind of insane how hard it is to sign up for popular services.

[pbhjpbhj]

My first go at paying MS for anything was buying Minecraft for a child, it was pain from start to finish.

I'd bought Minecraft twice from Mojang, simple as.