I'm very disturbed by the sudden request for "account verification" that is very privacy intrusive.

[Privacy-Conscious]

I'm very disturbed by the sudden request for "account verification" that is very privacy intrusive, requiring either a mobile phone that gives them my billing address, or providing information (including my social security number) that they then use to scrape "from publicly available sources to verify your identity."

Not only have I been using and paying for online TurboTax for years, but any previous verification has been done via my registered email address (just like it was 8 days ago when I logged in to start my taxes).

Unfortunately I see this as another sneaky grab for personal information.  While they do have most of this information, they have never needed to "verify" my phone number - so now they know my phone and carrier.  Small stuff, but seriously, just another unnecessary erosion of privacy.  This will be the last year I am a customer.

Edit:  In addition, the "How does this work" link and the "Learn More" link on the page are not valid - they take you to the "Oops no match" page.  This has privacy grabbing spam written all over it.  I am no longer willing to to use products, free or paid, that blatantly try to monetize my personal information.  If this is what Intuit is doing, shame on them.  If not, then consider rethinking your account verification so that it doesn't look like that is what you're doing.

[Critter · Accepted solution]

Turbotax has a new feature that tracks the dates, times, and approximate locations your account was accessed.  You can log in and check this feature.  Make sure you log in by typing the address in your web browser and check for the padlock icon that means you have a verified connection.  Click Account Tools, then Security, then scroll down for access history.

·         Be aware that the date and time will be accurate, but the location may be less accurate, especially if you are using a cell phone. Determining location from an internet address is notoriously prone to error.   But, any overseas access is definitely a problem.  If there are log ins you don't recognize, you can call customer support, and also take steps (below) to secure your account better. 

·         To secure your account, log in to your Turbotax account by typing the address into your browser window, and make sure your browser shows a padlock icon or whatever symbol it uses to indicate a secure verified connection.  Change your password, and make sure it is not something you use on other web sites.  Change your security question to something that a crook could not guess from social media.  Make sure your email address and cell phone number are up to date as Turbotax may use that to help verify future attempts to log in.

·         You also have the option to turn on 2-factor authentication for all log-ins.  With 2-factor authentication, Turbotax will send a code to your email or cell phone when you try to log in. The idea is that only someone who knows your password and also has possession of your phone will be able to log in, this is more likely to be the real you.  Turbotax will use 2-factor authentication whenever you log in from a computer that turbotax does not recognize, but you can turn it on for all log-ins in your security settings.

·         Also see these two FAQ's about the emails being sent to alert users on the new security measures:
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2922944-i-received-an-email-about-using-different-turbotax-account...
and
https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2934086-i-received-an-email-about-using-a-new-device

[Critter]

If you don't remember your userID then the program is trying to verify that you  are you in one of the ways listed ... when you created the account all this info was in it so all you are doing is verifying it now to gain access.  This is for your security to make sure others cannot access your account. 

[Critter]

Don't want to use the phone option then choose the other one.

[Privacy-Conscious]

Crirtter#2, thank you for your response.  This wasn't because I forgot my username or password - I logged in like normal.  

I don't find the other option palatable either - where they then take my social security and birthdate and then scrap information "from publicly available sources to verify your identity"?  I'm not comfortable with that either.  And then forget to properly link help pages?  I take my security and privacy much more seriously than they do.

[Critter]

I log into several mock accounts every day from more than one computer and have never been asked to verify anything if I log in with the correct user ID.   May I suggest you clear your cookies & browser history and try again from this screen ...  <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://turbotax.intuit.com/">https://turbotax.intuit.com/</a>

[Privacy-Conscious]

I use a VPN (because I am security conscious.)  After I turned off the VPN, I was able to login without a problem.  So because I was using a VPN to protect myself in an unsecured network (anything outside my home or work), then I have to go through an onerous invasive process to verify myself?

I understand and appreciate their desire for security of my account, I really do.  However these types of account verification screens are just not right and should be changed.

[Critter]

Your other option is to use the Downloaded/CD version to avoid the internet all together except when you efile the return.

[Critter]

If you started your 2017 return in TurboTax Online and want to switch to the TurboTax software, here's how.

1.     Save your online return as a tax data file.

2.     Sign out of TurboTax Online.

3.     Install your 2017 TurboTax software.  Buy it here:  https://turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/cd-download/

o   Important: If your return includes a state, make sure you also install the corresponding state program(s), otherwise you'll get Error 539.

4.     Once installed, choose File > Open Tax Return in the software program.

5.     Browse to where you saved your .tax2017 file and click Open.

6.     If you get an error, delete your tax data file and repeat these steps from the beginning.

7.     (Optional) Once you've confirmed that your online return opens properly in the software, you can clear your online return.

[rbelken2020]

Omg!! I'm about to use another tax service and I appreciate the high security clearance approach  to signing in as you can see I'm in a lower tax bracket which would probably tell you I have no patients and my education only  goes so far they go hand in hand and when I put my correct username and password in and then it wants to send me a text code well I'm what you call and irresponsible smart phone owner and I go threw 4 or 5 phones a year cause I can't afford and I phone so my phone number changes like the wind does you get what I'm saying 

[Anonymous]

You are filing your tax return.  You are literally sending just about THE most private information out across the internet - if you're truly "security conscious", then you would actually appreciate the fact that TurboTax is trying to make sure that you are the proper person to be filing this information. 

[MarilynG1]

You can use your email as a second verification instead of your phone.

You can also turn off the two-step verification process.

Click this link for more info on Two-Step Verification.

@rbelken2020