Vanguard Not Recognizing my Computer

[TromboneAl]

Anyone else getting this: Every other time I log onto Vanguard, it says it doesn't recognize my computer and I need to answer one of my security questions.

[target2019]

It has happened to me a few times. Once last week. I only access the site once a week or so.

[FIREd]

It happens to me sometimes, usually after I deep clean my computer.

[freebird5825]

I've gotten the security questions twice now in approx the past 3 weeks. I didn't notice any popup messages about not recognizing the computer, but I wasn't looking that hard.

[nwsteve]

Got the same message in the same day I had been previously logged in with no challenge--me thinks Vanguard is doing things with their website upgrade that purges the fields which recognizes your computer.
Nwsteve

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nwsteve Got the same message in the same day I had been previously logged in with no challenge--me thinks Vanguard is doing things with their website upgrade that purges the fields which recognizes your computer. Nwsteve

This sounds like a reasonable explanation (I've been getting the same message on and off this week).

[Stevewc]

Just got the same thing.
I would not put (security question) in. Mainly because I've gotten a virus on my computer at work and was concerned it may have hit my home computer. Kind of happy to see you guys are getting the same thing. Maybe I don't have a computer problem at home after all. I have not changed broswers or anything like that. I logged in last night without a problem but tonight didn't work.
Steve

[ERD50]

I was getting messages like that from a different financial site - I probably visited once a week, and I had to keep jumping through hoops to prove I was "me" each time.

I finally called to find out what was up, and after I got to an actual tech guy, we (mostly me) figured out that I had been trying out a few different browsers lately. Anytime they detected a cookie that didn't match the old one (or something like that), it triggered the questionnaire. Once I settled down on one browser it seemed to calm down.

Any browser switching or cookie cleaning lately?

-ERD50

[RunningBum]

It happened to me last week, and I noticed that the default was "This is a public computer, do not save" something (cookies). I clicked the other box and stopped getting the prompt.

[Moemg]

I also had this happen to me a few times recently . Luckily I remembered the answers to my security questions .

[Bestwifeever]

It just happened to me from my usual home wireless broadband. Perhaps the site randomly checks security questions?

Moe, I agree it's hard to remember some of the answers! Some of the questions I've run into are ridiculous, too--who was your favorite teacher in seventh grade, for example. Maybe I should just use "idontknow" for all the answers next time I have to set up security questions!

[RunningBum]

I hate how they require a certain number of letters for answers. I hate the opinion questions, like "what is your favorite food" because I don't have a 100% answer. I do have a definite answer to "what is the name of your first pet", but it's too short of a name for some sites.

[Rustward]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunningBum I hate how they require a certain number of letters for answers. I hate the opinion questions, like "what is your favorite food" because I don't have a 100% answer. I do have a definite answer to "what is the name of your first pet", but it's too short of a name for some sites.

Perhaps you could keep all your various login names and passwords recorded somewhere like an Excel spreadsheet or Word document (password protected -- or further protected if you wish). You can also keep the website challenge/response information there too -- stuff like name of your first grade teacher, favorite pet, high school mascot, etc. You might also want to keep a list of all the places that have your credit card number on file in the event that you have to do a security close of a card and get a new number -- seems to be happening more lately -- you will have a list of places to notify.

[FIREd]

I just signed on to my Vanguard account and this is the message I got:

"Your account has a $0 balance"

I suspect that they are upgrading their website, hence all the weirdness lately...

[Stevewc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREdreamer I just signed on to my Vanguard account and this is the message I got: "Your account has a $0 balance" I suspect that they are upgrading their website, hence all the weirdness lately...

OK, That one would freak me out !!!
Firedreamer Win's the Prise !!!

[target2019]

Updates to your web browser are involved, I think. For instance, I've had 1 or 2 Firefox updates recently, that I can recall.

When you go to a web site, your browser version is recorded. Now when I hit a site, the site records Firefox 3.0.11. A week ago it might have been 3.0.10. The site security is probably expiring a cookie on your computer, and triggering the security question.

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Anyone else getting this: Every other time I log onto Vanguard, it says it doesn't recognize my computer and I need to answer one of my security questions.

Yep. Started last night. I haven't answered. I'm wondering what happened to my security picture.

heh heh heh - .

[Bestwifeever]

I just checked--able to log in w/o security questions, still have the right balance (yesterday the dividends got added in--maybe that caused some abnormal site behavior?).

I would completely freak out too if a $0 balance showed up, EVER (and would check DH's whereabouts immediately). Vanguard should just post that the site is unavailable due to maintenance instead of this funny business happening when people try to log in.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg I also had this happen to me a few times recently . Luckily I remembered the answers to my security questions .

Right. I always get nervous, 'cause when it asks for something like "Where were you born?" you have to remember whether you used, for example, "Moscow" or "Moscow Public Hospital," or "Moscow, Soviet Union" or "Moscow, Russia."

My local bank's computer never recognizes me if I use FireFox, so I always use IE for that one.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl My local bank's computer never recognizes me if I use FireFox, so I always use IE for that one.

If it is a site I care about, I will always contact them and ask them to support open standards. There is no reason that you should be forced to use a borked up, mangled, proprietary browser to use a site. Plus, FF is supposedly much more secure than IE, so therefore financial institutions in particular should use open standards so that FF will work (which is different than "supporting FF" - if they code the site per the standards, any compliant browser will just work, they don't have to "support" any particular browser. It is then up to the browser to "support" their site.).

There are ways to have FF announce itself as IE in order to trick such sites - I have not tried them, never really had the need. Some of these sites work fine with FF, but they just lock you out because they are too lazy to test for it and don't want the hassle. And it sort of defeats the purpose by taking the responsibility away from the site to have non-proprietary code.

-ERD50