Why do I keep getting security questions?
Please note: We’ve made the decision to retire Hubdoc standard fetch connections on 27 April 2022 UTC. No new standard connections can be set up from 31 January 2022 UTC. Read more about the change here.
When setting up an automated account, Hubdoc may ask you multiple security questions - you answer one, Hubdoc fetches some documents, and then a day or week later, Hubdoc is prompting you for another security question for the same connection. Why does this happen?
There are four common scenarios when this could occur, each with a different solution. Use the guide below to help you identify your scenario and how to solve it.
Scenario 1: I am being asked multiple personal verification questions (PVQs), and the questions are different each time
A PVQ is a security question such as "what is your mother's maiden name?" or "what was your first car?". If you are getting multiple questions, but they are different each time, this is because the third-party website you are trying to connect to uses more than one question to verify your identity.
Each time Hubdoc encounters a new question, it needs an answer from you in order to successfully fetch your documents. When you submit an answer to a PVQ, Hubdoc stores it so that if the question comes up again, Hubdoc can answer it automatically without prompting you. This means that once you answer all of the PVQs that the third-party website may ask, Hubdoc will stop prompting you and be able to connect seamlessly.
How to resolve: answer all of the security questions that the website you are trying to connect to can ask (usually 3 - 5 different questions). Once you do so, the issue will no longer occur because Hubdoc will have all of the information it needs to connect and fetch your documents. To speed up this process, you can manually click the Update Accounts button which will attempt to reconnect to your account. This reconnection process often surfaces new questions. Click the Update Accounts button several times until the connection is no longer surfacing new questions.
Scenario 2: I am being asked the same personal verification question repeatedly
If you are being asked the same PVQ (e.g. you keep being asked "what was my first car" over and over again), this is usually an indicator that you have entered the answer incorrectly. When Hubdoc submits your answer and it is rejected by the website you are trying to connect to, Hubdoc presents the same question again.
How to resolve: If you are getting the same question over and over again, double check that you are entering the right answer. Remember, punctuation and spaces matter! To confirm your answer, check your security settings on the website you want Hubdoc to connect to.
Scenario 3: I am being asked for my 2-factor authentication (2FA) code repeatedly
2-factor authentication (also called multi-factor authentication) is a security method where a secondary piece of information, such as a numeric code, is sent to a mobile device via SMS or an authenticator application in order to access an account.
Hubdoc can connect to websites that use 2FA, and once you enter your 2FA code into Hubdoc, Hubdoc will successfully fetch your documents. For security purposes, many of these websites require you to periodically enter a new authentication code - sometimes as often as every 30 days. This means that even if you have entered one of these codes into Hubdoc in the past, you may have to enter it again. This is a setting enforced by third party connection that Hubdoc cannot influence.
How to resolve: Hubdoc will ask for your 2FA code only as often as the third-party website requires it. If you would like to reduce the frequency of 2FA requests, you may be able to manage this in the settings of the third-party website.
Scenario 4: Hubdoc is experiencing a technical issue
Sometimes, a technical issue with one of Hubdoc's automated connections may result in a repeating PVQ or 2FA request, even if you are answering the questions correctly.
How to resolve: If you are confident that you are entering the answers to these questions correctly and continue to receive security questions, please report a problem to our support team and we can investigate.