How to Bypass eBay Phone Verification: A Burner Phone Alternative
Those of you who continue to use eBay to sell or buy items know phone verification is still used there to verify identities for accounts. In the age of privacy concerns, that still causes problems for those new to eBay.
Have you thought about to avoid giving out your phone number to places like eBay? While the site is trustworthy, you never know how your personal information might get used.
A solution is using an alternative to burner phones , something we can help you with at DoNotPay .
Why People Use Burner Phones
Did you know burner phones have been around for over two decades as a form of prepaid phone? In the era of online apps and websites needing to verify the identities of users, burner phones became a new tool to bypass giving out private information.
Using fake phone numbers is the way to go about it, even though buying a burner phone is often expensive. You could end up paying $50 or more for one, only to use it once for verification.
Still, a lot of people use burner phones for these reasons:
Harassment | Giving out a phone number on something like a dating app could result in users harassing you. |
Spam | Prevents spam texts, and especially robocalls. An influx of robocalls alone could have your smartphone ringing constantly. |
Data Leaks | Eliminates the chance of personal information being compromised. In a time when everyone is concerned about online privacy, you don't want any chance of data leaks. |
Not everyone wants to give their phone number to eBay, even if they continue being reputable. They've had security breaches in the past, hence why they now insist on phone verification to sell items there.
Why eBay Asks for Phone Verification
Not everyone knows eBay requires you to be 18 or over to sell anything on their site. It makes sense since you have to enter into a contract with someone to sell goods.
Because of this, phone verification is required. Some people who remember selling on eBay years ago are sometimes surprised they have to give out their phone number to verify their identity now.
In general, eBay just wants to make sure you're not a robot. Nearly every app or website you use today has an "I Am Not a Robot" test where you have to select certain images to prove you're human.
From a business perspective, it makes sense that eBay does phone verification. It still doesn't make it easy for those who don't love giving out their phone numbers.
How Else Can You Avoid Phone Verification?
Other workarounds are available if you don't want to spend money on a burner phone. Many still use burner phones, even if they end up regretting paying a large fee just to use them for one time.
These other options are fairly common:
- Using Google to find fake phone numbers from random websites. These only work sometimes.
- Signing up for Google Voice to call off a smartphone or the web.
- Borrowing another person's phone. This is always a risk since that person may receive spam and robocalls after lending out their number to you.
Potential Issues with Phone Verification
Various issues can come up when dealing with phone verification. DoNotPay solves many of them using fake numbers . However, you've probably encountered some of these problems before:
- Going on Twitter to find faux numbers, only to find out the social media site bans any sites offering them.
- You don't have a phone readily available to do phone verification. Perhaps you've even had your phone stolen recently and don't have immediate access.
- Your phone blocks phone calls it thinks are spam. As a result, you might get the verification call blocked.
Once in a while, a technical mishap occurs on the app's side. They may not call you to verify your number, leaving you unable to sign up for any use of the app or website.
If this happens to you, our Customer Service feature at DoNotPay fixes the problem.
Use DoNotPay to Sign Up for Any Service without a Phone Number
We make easier than ever by using a new alternative to phone burners. Our process involves the use of burner numbers sent to you via text.
It works by simply doing these three steps:
- Open up DoNotPay in your
- Select which app or website you want to use this number for, then click the "Create a Temporary Number" button.
- We'll text you a temporary number you can use immediately. This number is deactivated in 10 minutes if you don't use it by then.
Our Virtual Credit Card
Did you know we also have a temporary credit card for one-time verification use? Those of you who don 't want to give out your credit card number for app ID verification no longer have to.
Through our virtual credit card, you can do this:
- Have a fake card number.
- You'll have an additional faux expiration date and a three-digit code.
- You can use the virtual credit card for ten minutes.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
You'll be surprised at how much you can do at DoNotPay, the first AI service. You can sign up for free clinical trials on apps risk-free, stop text spam, and sign up for any service without phone verification.
Visit us to find out how we can help bring more enjoyable use of online apps.