amuck-landowner

Phone verification?

rds100

New Member
Verified Provider
We are currently using MaxMind's phone verification to verify all orders. However as you probably know MaxMind is shutting down this service at the end of the year.

So what do you guys use for phone verification? Is there any other similar alternative?

I could code something to do it, but if there is some ready commercial solution / service - i'd rather use that instead. Would be one less thing to maintain and worry about.
 

trewq

Active Member
Verified Provider
I was actually thinking about developing this and offering it as a service.


What exactly would you require and what cost were you thinking? I feel like with MaxMind exiting I will be able to fill their place.


Looking for anyone else's input with the features and cost too.
 

rds100

New Member
Verified Provider
@trewq i don't have any cost figure in mind, probably something like what maxmind's model was - preload some credits, and then every call costs something (probably different price per country / destination).
 

KuJoe

Well-Known Member
Verified Provider
We used to do phone verification but the trolls would use up a lot of money a month so we stopped using it. :(
 

trewq

Active Member
Verified Provider
We used to do phone verification but the trolls would use up a lot of money a month so we stopped using it. :(
If it's done right this shouldn't happen. It should stop after the second retry and have other checking algorithms in place. It seems like everything that is currently in the market is just built to call people and take your money instead of protecting you, its clients.
 

KuJoe

Well-Known Member
Verified Provider
If it's done right this shouldn't happen. It should stop after the second retry and have other checking algorithms in place. It seems like everything that is currently in the market is just built to call people and take your money instead of protecting you, its clients.
I agree. What I saw happen was a user would enter a phone number for a country that cost us almost a dollar per call, then they would answer the phone (at least I really hope they were, because Maxmind states they only charge for answered calls) and within seconds request a callback and do this multiple times per account. I started disallowing orders from countries that cost more than $0.60 per call to make it harder for them to eat up our credits, but it didn't stop them it just slowed them down.
 

rds100

New Member
Verified Provider
Yes, it would make sense to limit this to maximum 1 or 2 calls or sms per customer, for more you need to open a ticket.

Also a phone number that was already used by another customer should be blocked.

Also the system should be able to identify and reject premium rate and possibly VoIP phone numbers.
 
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RTGHM

New Member
You know, I wrote a system for phone verification for a company (which I won't name), I just used Twilio API + Toll-Free 1-800 phone number, and you can use the TEXT api, or CALL api, I used text, it sends them a text from a toll free number, they have to respond with a code the website gives them, and once they do that, it sends the text through the API to your systems, you verify the code is correct, if it is, you allow register, etc.

I might have a copy of the code laying around if you want it, let me look for it.
 

rds100

New Member
Verified Provider
There is also TeleSign, but the require $100/month minumum sales. Someone might decide to aggregate the verification from a bunch of providers and start reselling TeleSign's verification. I think MaxMind was using them.
 

trewq

Active Member
Verified Provider
Ok, I've done some number crunching and this is extremely viable for me. Max cost will be $0.50 and that will only be for a couple of countries with the rest sitting at about $0.25 per successful verification.


You will be able to disable things like VoIP numbers, certain countries and even people roaming in different countries if they are using a mobile. This is just off the top of my head, lots more options available.


I would prefer to offer this as a post paid service or have a flat fee for all number and you just buy "packs".


Thoughts?
 
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trewq

Active Member
Verified Provider
Hooking it into WHMCS will be my biggest issue. I've only made a couple of plugins before but like anything else, once the ball is rolling it gets done pretty quickly.
 

KuJoe

Well-Known Member
Verified Provider
The WHMCS plugin is the easy part. Once you get the backend shaped out, there are plenty of us who can knock out the WHMCS plugin overnight. You just need to do all of the heavy lifting. :p
 

trewq

Active Member
Verified Provider
The WHMCS plugin is the easy part. Once you get the backend shaped out, there are plenty of us who can knock out the WHMCS plugin overnight. You just need to do all of the heavy lifting. :p
I'm fine with that! I'll let you guys know when I've got some docs written.
 

RTGHM

New Member
Ok, I've done some number crunching and this is extremely viable for me. Max cost will be $0.50 and that will only be for a couple of countries with the rest sitting at about $0.25 per successful verification.


You will be able to disable things like VoIP numbers, certain countries and even people roaming in different countries if they are using a mobile. This is just off the top of my head, lots more options available.


I would prefer to offer this as a post paid service or have a flat fee for all number and you just buy "packs".


Thoughts?
Not bad pricing, but for me I can get at 2 cents per 2 text messages(incoming or outgoing), and 8 cents per minute on call time (if I change a few things, I can lower it to 4 cents per minute).
 
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