

Ask HN:Payment Platforms for Validating Users - mark_ellul

Hi,<p>I am starting a new project, and I want all users to be valid users and preferably unique.<p>I was thinking of using Paypal, and depositing a cent or so into their accounts to validate them, and then as such I know they are most likely unique and valid users.<p>Does anyone else have any suggestions of different payment platforms to do the same? or another way to validate a user and have a mechanism to pay them at the same time?
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russell
You should remember the transaction charges. I think most payment systems
charge 20-30 cents per transaction. I dont know about PP. I don't have a PP
account and would probably object to giving you my CC number unless I found
your service compelling. I certainly would not give it just to look around.
This would probably turn off lots of potential users. Even an email validation
is a turnoff, but not so bad as a CC number.

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bayareaguy
I'm not sure where payment fits in but I read a while back that craigslist
uses <http://www.reducefraud.com> to validate users via a telephone call.
Google App Engine signup does something similar with SMS messaging.

Would a telephone number work for what you are doing?

