This is a standard dark pattern user manipulation technique. It's a continuation of the trend where techbro-run companies make it LOOK like creating an account will be easy and take seconds. But every time you step forward, there is one more hoop to jump through.
It's a very common manipulation technique where if you are a baddy, you ask someone to do a small thing that is not something they would normally do. And then keep asking them to do incrementally larger and riskier things, eventually backed by some kind of threat.
Unfortunately this one is darker because it's even more actively evil. They are claiming to suspend your account, causing you to believe you are "in trouble", a very real fear for most people, while actually doing nothing of the sort. They just want your phone number and are literally bullying you for it. They could just say, "hey, we'll need your phone number if you want to create an account with us," but they would lose some percentage of sign-ups by being honest. Which is pretty much all you need to know about that business!
The world would be a lot better place if we taught our children (and people in general) about how all kinds of manipulation techniques can be used against them.
It's a very common manipulation technique where if you are a baddy, you ask someone to do a small thing that is not something they would normally do. And then keep asking them to do incrementally larger and riskier things, eventually backed by some kind of threat.
Unfortunately this one is darker because it's even more actively evil. They are claiming to suspend your account, causing you to believe you are "in trouble", a very real fear for most people, while actually doing nothing of the sort. They just want your phone number and are literally bullying you for it. They could just say, "hey, we'll need your phone number if you want to create an account with us," but they would lose some percentage of sign-ups by being honest. Which is pretty much all you need to know about that business!
The world would be a lot better place if we taught our children (and people in general) about how all kinds of manipulation techniques can be used against them.