two-factor authentication backup codes do not work / etsy support unhelpful

[BleachedBonesStore]

I'm mostly posting this here as a log in case others are experiencing the same issue as me.

I have several accounts, one of which has two-factor set up with my phone number (rather than app authentication) cuz I'm a silly billy. I'm currently abroad and upon trying to use one of the backup codes to gain access, discovered none of them work.

I got in touch with Etsy support who asked for what I deem impossible to know information to gain access to my account - they wanted the account balance and the number of drafts. I don't know if I'm just really disorganized, how many of you would know these things? Or am I being daft and there's a way to know this without account access? Surely not. I would have expected them to want ID or some other proof.

They also told me the backup codes are only valid for 24 hours - this is clearly incorrect information. The entire point of them is you save them ahead of time just in case of an issue in the future.

When I told the agent they were mistaken and asked for the issue to be escalated, they told me "I already explained the process about this back up tokens if you are not able to provide the information we requested you we are not able to assist you so I will close this email. Have a nice day!" Then stopped replying! I was shocked and immediately opened another ticket complaining about this agent, which went unanswered. I poked them again after 2 weeks to get a response... Which was back to square 1, they hadn't read any of my complaint and were asking for the number of drafts and account balance.

At this point I'll just wait to access my account when home but the backup codes not working is a SERIOUS problem as is the knowledge of what they ask of you if you cannot get access to your account. Two-factor authentication is scary. What if your phone is lost, stolen or broken? Bye bye accounts!

If anyone has any leads on other reports of the backup code problem, so I can at least compile evidence of this being more than just a me problem or advice on maybe what I did wrong, how to access the info they need for regaining access aside from have a mega mind, or how to open a serious complaint with Etsy, I'd really appreciate it. Otherwise, this will just be here to document for anyone searching for these issues!

[UppNorthEh]

yup, and they keep pushing this on everyone's dashboard.  no thank you.

[michellepatterns]

Yes, too many people have problems with it here.  

[NanaLetha]

@UppNorthEh  I agree - At least without it I can always log in.

[ACertainFeel]

Very scary. Thank you for posting. 

[CuriosityCabinet]

Thanks for the heads up! I was about to do this. Ugh

[NataBurgos]

I wish I could activate that feature to make my etsy accounts safer. I tried to do it more than a year ago, but the thing didn't work out for me, nothing arrived to my phone. I am very wary of trying the authentication again, I would panic out if I lose access to my shops!

So I guess I will be leaving things the way they are.

I used to manage certain things like sending images to my clientes using the old etsy app, but with the new one it has been impossible. I also tried to set up a custom order from a message that a customer sent me and the whole thing did not work  with the app. So in the meantime I will manage things from my computer. This last rant is material for another post HAHA.

[PrairieCrocusStudio]

If there's no way to access your account, surely there is no way to know the balance and the number of drafts. Makes no sense that they would ask for that. Very disturbing. 

[Spellbinderie]

I assume you contacted them thru the store you are posting from?  Could they have been asking you for the account balance, etc, for that store rather than the one you were locked out of?  Etsy could then verify that you have more than one shop and assist you with the shop you can't access?  Because otherwise, yeah, I'm with you, that's unhelpful.  I would not be able to provide that info at all! 

As for the backup codes, I recently had to use mine because the code they sent via message didn't come.  No issues. This was maybe a week ago.

[BleachedBonesStore]

Nah, I just used the email on the account I'm having trouble with, so that can't be it. And it can't just be one weirdo rouge agent, cuz the second asked for the same info

 Its odd though cuz when I googled, I found people on this forum listing the stuff Etsy had requested for account access and it... wasn't the same. Very odd.

Thankfully it's the least important account by far, so it CAN wait, but I just couldn't believe how utterly useless and rude Etsy support were! And backup codes not working is SERIOUS and they should be looking into it. At first I assumed I was doing something wrong and was just trying to ask the agent how I use them, which took about 4 emails for them to actually confirm I was doing it right, only to then tell me they're only valid for 24 hours or that I had used them... I hadnt used any of them, now I've tried all 10. As if - like in what universe - would I have used all 10 and not remembered

I just want an agent who knows what theyre on about and asked for it to be escalated numerous times.

[CatsBeadKitsandMore]

I won't use 2FA for this reason. It is too glitchy, in fact this whole site is really glitchy!