> Honestly if companies started realizing this they might stop requiring them. A lot of people don't even have a phone number.
If you're too poor (or paranoid) to have a phone number, you aren't much value as a lead. The current system qualifies that (a) you're not a bot, (b) you have money to spend, and (c) you're in a specific metro area (and not Antarctica as you claim). Self-reported location, IP and phone number can all be spoofed, but 2/3 data points aligning is close enough.
There's no incentive to onboard unvetted accounts.
If you're too poor (or paranoid) to have a phone number, you aren't much value as a lead. The current system qualifies that (a) you're not a bot, (b) you have money to spend, and (c) you're in a specific metro area (and not Antarctica as you claim). Self-reported location, IP and phone number can all be spoofed, but 2/3 data points aligning is close enough.
There's no incentive to onboard unvetted accounts.