Building trust at a critical verification step
Exploring clear, more reassuring content to help customers confidently share all 9 digits of their Social Security Number (SSN)
Company
PayPal
Project
SSN9 Experimentation
Focus
UX Content Strategy, Trust, Verification
Understanding hesitation around sensitive information
We observed a high drop rate within flows when users are expected to share their SSN. The goal was to make this step clearer and more reassuring through focused UX content experimentation.
Finding the right words to build confidence
We explored different content approaches to address customer hesitation and help them understand why the information was needed, how it would be used, and how it would be kept secure.
Address common concerns
Acknowledge why we need the SSN and address typical customer concerns though clear, transparent messaging.
Explain the request
Use straightforward language to communicate why the information is required at this time.
Build trust and reassurance
Reinforce how the SSN is protected and how it is being used, without causing unnecessary alarm.
A clearer and more reassuring experience
The final content version focuses on explaining why we need the information and how it is secured, along with a clear and simple form for customers to enter their details.
Testing content where trust matters
A content version was selected based on experimentation and will be tracked for passthrough numbers to see if it helps more customers share their SSN.