Verification Process for Chat Support Requires SSN?

blyons71 · ‎May 08, 2023

As a 30 year technologist every single time I try and use QuickBooks support I question whether or not my account information is even safe. Chat takes multiple attempts to actually get someone to connect. They come in....5 minutes later they leave. Then we have to relaunch the chat again. When we get in there instead of actually collecting the verification information needed to verify the account in the FORM...we have to go through a series of questions. Complete disregard for our time as a business owner. I was asked to provide my name, my merchant ID, my EIN, and what is totally unacceptable...my SSN. I have no idea who is seeing this information, but clearly there is many chat services outsourced overseas. It is COMPLETELY unacceptable to request this information to verify an account. Create a support PIN...a passphrase...something else but requesting SSN is just ridiculous. There is just no reason to do this for verification when the account is not linked to a Quickbooks Bank Account.

Pete_Mc · ‎May 10, 2023

It's been a while since I've Chatted with QBs, but I don't see a need for SS/EIN info. Product Serial# maybe if they can't find you for some reason with your email address.

Are you sure you're chatting with Intuit/QBs???? There are a lot of service providers that make themselves LOOK like their really QBs. So be sure to either go through Help within your QBs program or log into the Intuit/QB App Center online. Note that the (https://appcenter.intuit.com/) ends in "intuit.com" If you're going to any other site that end in .ANYTHING ELSE.com you may be going to some other 3rd party and not Intuit.

blyons71 · ‎May 10, 2023

As I mentioned...I have 30 years in tech. I provide Cyber Security services and Privacy Compliance services...so of course I verified the domain.

blyons71 · ‎May 10, 2023

I have been providing Cyber Security and Privacy Compliance services for over 20 years. I definitely verified the domain and of course I mentioned...with 30 years in tech the bulk of which have been working with online businesses...I have never been asked to submit my full SSN in a form unless it was healthcare related and or banking related. The point is...I do not bank with Quickbooks so I should not be asked this information when there are plenty of other verification points of data that were collected. Additionally...I clicked through the Chat while logged in...another point of information they could have used to validate I was the account user.

Anonymous · ‎May 10, 2023

I appreciate you for bringing this to our attention, @blyons71.

Reaching out to our support for assistance should not ask you to provide your SSN for verification. Rather, they will ask for basic information that you’ll only need to confirm or verify. Pete_Mc is correct that it could be from someone pretending to be affiliated with Intuit.

If you have concerns that require assistance from our phone support, you’ll want to check out this article to get in touch with us and ensure to get legitimate support. This article also contains a phone number if you opt to contact them in that setting: QuickBooks Online Support.

Moreover, you can report any suspicious acts pretending to be from Intuit to prevent this from happening again. Visit our Online Security Center to report the incident.

Here's how:

Go to this link: https://security.intuit.com/contact-us.
Look for Report technical support scams.
Click Report tech support scams.

Furthermore, report any suspicious emails and suspected fraudulent activities by sending an email to spoof@intuit.com.

In addition, I’d recommend you check out this article to learn more on how you recognize official Intuit correspondence and websites: Identify suspicious activity, phishing scams, and potential fraud.

I’m always here to help if you have more concerns about any QuickBooks-related matters. Stay safe!

blyons71 · ‎May 10, 2023

So as I stated...not a phishing attempt...I launched chat within the Quickbooks App...it opened a window with your domain hosting it. The individual spent an hour using your screen share support tool troubleshooting the issue and helping me resolve my problem AFTER he received the SSN. So no that was not a phishing attempt. If your support team is not supposed to request the information...then why is there a secure form prompt for SSN in your chat support app? I have a business to run so I am not going to capture screenshots and reproduce this for you. I charge $250 an hour to do that. This is a serious privacy violation. And it was not asking for the last four either...full SSN. So you go back to your product team and reproduce it. You can also go and check the chat transcripts from my account...which you will find reside in your chat app...with one of your support employees.

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Verification Process for Chat Support Requires SSN?