I have to submit my phone # to vote?

[Agony]

The captcha on the last vote site was malfunctioning, so I hit the link for alternative method.



This is what I have to do if I am to keep my vote status up on the shard? I'm sorry, but it is WAY too personal and I do not feel safe going to a site that asks for this kind of information just to get past a captcha. I cannot vote on this site anymore.

*EDIT* I just read the other thread about this issue. Sorry about starting this thread without looking for a similar one first.

In the other thread, it was quoted-

Sorry for the possible difficulty here. We're currently testing a variety of images to see what works best. By this, we mean what stops votebots but let's genuine voters through.

In relation to the phone number, definitely not a scam! A request for a phone number allows CAPTCHAs to verify by audio.

When someone says it it not a scam, it usually is, or becomes part of one later on. The personal info (phone numbers) are stored in a database, and any disgruntled employee or admin can take it and -sell- it to scammers who then use the list for scams. Many shady people do this when funding hits crisis level and it is an easy out. This is how credit card info gets leaked to ID thieves and why many people are sitting around wondering why people are suddenly calling their phone claiming to be the government offering odd grants if they just pay a security fee of like 300 bucks first.
Yes, it is easy to spot a scam when someone calls you, but when they continue to blow up your phone and you have no way to stop them from doing it (except maybe to block the number, but many scammers use multiple numbers), it still becomes a problem.

No way.

More information about this subject on what phone info is used for, and many, many personal accounts of people actively being scammed by people using phone number lists-

http://800notes.com/

*EDIT*
One question -

In relation to the phone number, definitely not a scam! A request for a phone number allows CAPTCHAs to verify by audio.

Why is a phone necessary to verify by audio? If someone requires audio due to vision problems or anything else, would they not have speakers? I am by no means trying to say that this site has ill intentions, but to me, being asked for a phone number just to do a captcha is a lot like being asked for your social security number by the cashier at McDonalds.

[Annachie]

With any luck you should be able to come back to the site a few minutes later.

Personally, I never would give them my phone number.

[TribalInstincts]

If someone requires audio due to vision problems or anything else, would they not have speakers?

The last line of the "What is this?" message says: "Instead of this, you can click the speaker icon below for an audio challenge"