Similarly, does Google suspend payment accounts to get your driver's license photo?
Google knows FULL WELL that the card is valid through the month but locks any payment account associated with it a month prior.
I suspect there's a lot of this going on, though I mind the phone number less. Having dealt with fraud on the other side, requiring a phone number is one of the few (mostly) universal things and costly enough to acquire enough numbers that it really helps slow down spam and fraud.
Google knows FULL WELL that the card is valid through the month but locks any payment account associated with it a month prior.
I suspect there's a lot of this going on, though I mind the phone number less. Having dealt with fraud on the other side, requiring a phone number is one of the few (mostly) universal things and costly enough to acquire enough numbers that it really helps slow down spam and fraud.