One Time Passwords- OTPs Amazon

I haven't had this with Amazon, but surely it's just the same as I had with a Dunelm delivery recently. Because I wasn't sure to be home on the delivery day I had it delivered to a local shop. I got an email with a barcode and pass number which I showed to the assistant who scanned it then got my parcel for me. It's just a way of checking that the correct person is getting the delivery. I can't see there's any danger for this with deliveries, it really is quite different to being able to access a bank account.

Rosie51 yes I’ve collected in store but the delivery driver standing at your door saying the OTP is an issue is very different…

That's instantly got me wondering just how someone without a smartphone would be able to show the driver that password on that non-existent phone?

They can come and look at my landline phone sitting there quietly if they like LOL - much good it would do them.

Cariadagain, we had a one time password for an Amazon delivery recently. It came by email on my i pad so I printed it off.

High value items, phones tablets etc will need this code. It covers the driver too.
Had a delivery this week that needed it. Came in a separate email and informed the driver of the code. He then took a photo of the parcel in the open doorway.
All efficient and ok.

I doubt they could dispute the code if you show the driver your tracking details.

OP surely this is a result of parcels going missing, stolen, left with neighbours who then deny all knowledge, leaving the true customer bereft, out of pocket and goods, a safeguarding?

Have you watched the Benji ‘what3words’ on youtube?

As Rosie51 said, this is how I pick up parcels from Sainsbury/Argos and small IKEA parcels from our local Johnsons dry cleaners.

Embrace the new.
This coding is not only for your consumer protection
but also for their courier / distribution.

I wish Evri would adopt this system, it is lie proof !

Amazon are excellent, efficient, well packed items
especially if you are Amazon Prime.

We have always been pleased with the drivers, until
we had a delivery of a box of Martin Miller gin (on offer)
by an Eastern European lady driver who would not hand it over until she saw photographic proof that I was over 21.
Well that was a long time ago.
Bottle returned as my biddy pass wasn’t good enough.
Passport recently expired. Not good enough.
Driving licence pic apparently didn’t look like me. sigh
Codes are way better than pedantic unreasonable deliverers.

Well that’s interesting Grandmaophone am really pleased that you have had good experiences- what is ‘what3words’ and what does this have to do with OTPs??

CariadAgain

That's instantly got me wondering just how someone without a smartphone would be able to show the driver that password on that non-existent phone?

They can come and look at my landline phone sitting there quietly if they like LOL - much good it would do them.

That’s what concerns me - not everyone has a smart phone with Apps -my iPAD does not like banking apps only my smart Phone .. so what is the safest security option? I

I've only had this from Amazon with particularly valuable or specialised items - eg electronics such as a TV or computer part. It's not like a one time password for signing in online, it's just so the delivery driver knows it's you and it's like signing for it really.

Mine is a desktop computer - not an IPad - suspect they'll be stuck re using that system for a noticeable number of us. Wonder how many complaints we'll have to make before they have a system we can use too?

I'm coming to see smartphones as something that takes away our independence from some of us - eg the other day when I got caught at the beginning of a 2 hour bus gap and had to phone for a taxi = no public callboxes any longer. Cue for having to ask someone I didn't know to make that call for me on her phone - which she was duly very pleasant about and did so.

But I'm not keen on the thought of maybe having to increasingly ask for help with things I'm perfectly capable of doing on my own with "older" technology....

Guess it may be too that some of us have to boycott buying more expensive things from Amazon unless and until we can buy them again "our way".

There was a ring on my doornell yesterday and I was expecting my medication guy so I answered it, It was an Amazon courier with a huge box and I knew at once it was not for me. Looked like it might have been something like an air fryer or a piece of tech. He was looking for number # when the number ## is clearly on my door. I directed him to the correct house.

I have most of my Amazon stuff of any value delivered to my nephew and then he brings it around. It its tech then he is going to have to set it up anyway.

I usually dont answer unless Im expecting someone or been notified of a delivery.

CariadAgain

Mine is a desktop computer - not an IPad - suspect they'll be stuck re using that system for a noticeable number of us. Wonder how many complaints we'll have to make before they have a system we can use too?

I'm coming to see smartphones as something that takes away our independence from some of us - eg the other day when I got caught at the beginning of a 2 hour bus gap and had to phone for a taxi = no public callboxes any longer. Cue for having to ask someone I didn't know to make that call for me on her phone - which she was duly very pleasant about and did so.

But I'm not keen on the thought of maybe having to increasingly ask for help with things I'm perfectly capable of doing on my own with "older" technology....

Guess it may be too that some of us have to boycott buying more expensive things from Amazon unless and until we can buy them again "our way".

If you've ordered from Amazon using your desktop you have access to your account and delivery tracking where you can access the OTP. You'd also have access to email where you can access the OTP. You don't need a smartphone to access the OTP.

biglouis

There was a ring on my doornell yesterday and I was expecting my medication guy so I answered it, It was an Amazon courier with a huge box and I knew at once it was not for me. Looked like it might have been something like an air fryer or a piece of tech. He was looking for number # when the number ## is clearly on my door. I directed him to the correct house.

I have most of my Amazon stuff of any value delivered to my nephew and then he brings it around. It its tech then he is going to have to set it up anyway.

I usually dont answer unless Im expecting someone or been notified of a delivery.

Give your nephew the OTP.

From Amazon website - info on OTP for deliveries:
"Secure Delivery with a One-Time Password
Due to the value of some items, a one-time password (OTP) is required on delivery for some orders.

An OTP adds an extra layer of security to your packages.

If an OTP is required, we will send a six-digit numeric OTP to your registered email address on the package delivery day.

You can also find the OTP:

By selecting Track Package beside the order in Your Orders on the delivery day.
By going to the 'Message Centre' and opening the message containing your OTP.
Your OTP is valid until the end of the delivery day.

Read the OTP you’ve received to the driver in person and not over phone or intercom to receive the package.

Note:
If you're unable to receive the package, share the OTP with someone you choose and they can receive the package for you in person. We don't recommend sharing the OTP with an unknown person.
If no one can receive the package, we will re-attempt the delivery on the next working day.
Please don't share the OTP with the driver over the phone
If you are not available to accept the delivery, please ask the driver to re-attempt the delivery when you or someone you choose will be at the delivery address.
Drivers cannot leave packages unattended at the delivery address that requires an OTP.
If you're not the package recipient or have ordered the item as a gift for someone else, please forward the OTP to the recipient. Please refer them to these guidelines."

If you can order from Amazon you can access the OTP, you don't need a smartphone.

Thanks OldFrill that makes it very clear it's really not a problem, even for those without a smart phone.

Thanks for clarifying that. So I can still maintain my independence for ordering in my normal way from Amazon. Good to know.

for me, getting older by the day, life is becoming impossible.

That's a great shame Polnan, what would help to make life easier? There's a wealth of information, and people willing to help, on Gransnet.

polnan

for me, getting older by the day, life is becoming impossible.

I can resonate with that - and I guess one of our favourite phrases should be "if it ain't broke don't fix it". I alternate between thinking all these altered ways/altered technology shouldn't be the norm just because SOME people always want to "keep up with the latest thing" on the one hand and wondering if there's ulterior motives for it all on the other hand.

I've tried to use smartphones for instance and don't have the sort of "techno" brain that could do so and by the time they often say "Ah but it's 'intuitive' learning to use it" and I think "You mean you are too lazy to teach us properly......" that's me out of it. I think we could all manage perfectly well with conventional landline phones and coinbox phones wherever they might be necessary and the fact these coinbox phonebooths etc have darn nearly all been removed now makes it more difficult for the rest of us.

A lot of us (including me) managed/still do manage perfectly well with paying for things too by cash, slot-in type card and cheques. We don't want contactless card (they're much more open to theft), we don't want to pay by smartphone (which we havent got anyway). I do get annoyed generally by feeling they are trying to force us over to other technology when it serves no purpose for US personally.

When I go out walking - I don't expect to know I can be tracked wherever I go (because that's one of the downsides of smartphones) and I'll keep my privacy thank you on that one for instance.

80% of those aged 65 and over in the UK own a smartphone, I’ll assume the majority use them so I can see use of tech in our everyday lives and things like OTP verification increasing not diminishing. Things like online banking, health monitoring and other applications under development will be increasingly the norm as support for older systems fades away.

If individual people want that sort of thing = that's up to them.

I'm only too glad I don't do online banking - given the number of thieves of the "scammer" type there are around these days. It's very disillusioning to receive an average of several emails a week from some thief or other trying to steal from me and the odd phonecall from thieves as well. That is part of the downside of this "modern" technology.

I have reservations re "health monitoring" - much better to have trained people in person that can see/hear whether there's a change for the worse. Though I've now come to the conclusion we need to increase our own medical knowledge a lot to what we could get away with say 30 years ago. Goodness knows that, if we actually get to see a doctor they won't spend enough time with us usually to do the reasoning process of what to do (memories of recent doctor saying "Yep....heart....heart.....heart = take statins") and no mention whatsoever of statin side-effects - until she spotted the "dubious - I thought she'd say that....." look on my face and then they were airily dismissed as "mild, unlikely, etc"....

Feels like we all need a crash course on how to use google/books/etc to find out the applicable basics of healthcare for ourselves (eg we don't need to know about male healthcare, pregnancy, childbirth and we do need more than 30 minutes teaching in 6 years!!!!! that I gather is all they get on diet). Who da thunk dropping the idea of doing an (Open University) degree in retirement (because so many other people these days have a bit of paper saying "degree" and so what would be the point of that imo would be replaced by heavy-duty study on healthcare instead.....?).

A One Time Password is just that. It can be used once and never again. I don't quite understand the concern.

CariadAgain

If individual people want that sort of thing = that's up to them.

I'm only too glad I don't do online banking - given the number of thieves of the "scammer" type there are around these days. It's very disillusioning to receive an average of several emails a week from some thief or other trying to steal from me and the odd phonecall from thieves as well. That is part of the downside of this "modern" technology.

I have reservations re "health monitoring" - much better to have trained people in person that can see/hear whether there's a change for the worse. Though I've now come to the conclusion we need to increase our own medical knowledge a lot to what we could get away with say 30 years ago. Goodness knows that, if we actually get to see a doctor they won't spend enough time with us usually to do the reasoning process of what to do (memories of recent doctor saying "Yep....heart....heart.....heart = take statins") and no mention whatsoever of statin side-effects - until she spotted the "dubious - I thought she'd say that....." look on my face and then they were airily dismissed as "mild, unlikely, etc"....

Feels like we all need a crash course on how to use google/books/etc to find out the applicable basics of healthcare for ourselves (eg we don't need to know about male healthcare, pregnancy, childbirth and we do need more than 30 minutes teaching in 6 years!!!!! that I gather is all they get on diet). Who da thunk dropping the idea of doing an (Open University) degree in retirement (because so many other people these days have a bit of paper saying "degree" and so what would be the point of that imo would be replaced by heavy-duty study on healthcare instead.....?).

I’d rather just plunge in and figure things out- certainly don’t need any training on how to use Google for health advice or anything else.
I’m writing this response on my iPad, with my Echo screen set to show the front of the bungalow- live streamed from the wireless security camera set up over our garage, as the Ring doorbell is charging and so is offline.
My husband has a smart blood sugar monitor that is much more effective at controlling his blood sugar than my nagging him about his food choices!
We watch streamed TV shows, and can communicate with family and friends using FaceTime.
I think new tech if used selectively can be a boon but I appreciate not everyone feels the same.
Neither do I think it’s necessarily an age thing, during lockdown I offered to help a neighbour with her shopping- she said not to worry as she always shopped on line using her iPad- at the time she was 99.