Important Zendesk Update: Mandatory Email Verification for Anonymous Submissions (March 9)

Important Change: Mandatory Email Verification for Anonymous Submissions

Starting March 9, 2026, Zendesk will introduce a new safeguard to protect against spam and malicious activity. This means that all "anonymous" end users (those not signed in at the time of submission) will be required to verify their email address before their request is accepted and processed.

What is happening?

When an anonymous user submits a ticket via your help center web form, Support SDK, or Web Widget (Classic), they will now receive an automatic email containing a verification link.

• Ticket is not created immediately: The submission remains in a "pending state" until the user clicks the verification link in the email.
• No notifications before verification: Neither the customer nor your agents will receive standard notifications (like "Request received") until verification is complete.
• Suspended tickets: If a user fails to verify their email, the submission will end up in the Suspended tickets view.

Why is Zendesk making this change?

Zendesk has observed a sharp increase in abuse where attackers exploit web forms to send large volumes of unsolicited emails (spam bots). This measure is necessary to protect your reputation, your agents, and your customers from such attacks.

Administrator Checklist

To ensure legitimate customer requests are not lost, SoftwareOne recommends taking the following steps before March 9:

• Inform your team: Ensure all agents are aware that they should check Suspended tickets more frequently during the transition phase.
• Review your routines: Review the procedures for recovering suspended tickets to ensure no legitimate cases are lost. Zendesk also supports notifications for suspended tickets.
• Update documentation: If you have guides on how customers should contact you, mention that they must check their inbox for a confirmation link.
• Customize the verification email: Review your email verification template in Zendesk settings to ensure it has the correct wording and brand profile.

Need assistance?

At SoftwareOne, we can help you review your suspended ticket workflow or customize your verification processes to ensure they don't hinder great customer service.