kudo's to fidelity

[UpAnchor]

Fidelity does have an extra layer of protection as scrabbler1 suggested. Not thrilled with having to get a pass code every time I want to log on, but might be prudent.

https://www.fidelity.com/security/soft-tokens/overview

I've been using the soft token feature for several months. I was reluctant to sign up at first, thinking it would be more hassle than I would like since I log in at least every 2 or 3 days. But I've found the extra five or ten seconds involved to be a minuscule price to pay for the added security in these crazy times.

 

[Dawg52]

I've been using the soft token feature for several months. I was reluctant to sign up at first, thinking it would be more hassle than I would like since I log in at least every 2 or 3 days. But I've found the extra five or ten seconds involved to be a minuscule price to pay for the added security in these crazy times.

I requested more info on the new 'pass code' feature they recently implemented. Below is their response......

This new feature will generate a security code when you log into Fidelity.com using a computer or a connection that is not recognized by our system. You will receive a pop up window notifying you that a code is being sent, and allowing you to choose the delivery method for this code.

I think I'm going this route for now. I'm sure I could get use to a soft token on each log on if I have to, but the above feature is a nice new security step that should help. But as you said.....these are crazy times so who knows.

 

[pb4uski]

I spoke to the Fido Frauds man and he told me Fido won't lift the lockout on my account even though I suggested several alternatives to getting my PC "professionally cleaned." One alternative was to get a unique code texted to me when I log in ("soft token") but he told me the current lockout would override this useful measure. He said I have to get the professional cleaning because other financial institutions I use online access for could be compromised. Say what? (I have had no unauthorized activity on them and I just changed my password.) Doesn't that seem a little overly paternalistic on Fidelity's part?....

I think I would tell them to pound sand and move everything to another provider as soon as practical. And at the same time broadcast your story and numb-nuts insistence that you have your PC professionally cleaned to the highest levels of Fido.

After that, if they were smart they would offer to buy you a brand new laptop if you keep your money with them.

 

[audreyh1]

Considering the hell a friend went through after getting her Mac "professionally cleaned" by the Geek Squad I really don't like this scenario.

We are very computer savvy and no way we would put our Macs in the hands of folks like the Geek Squad. No one touches our Mac's.

I have to seriously think how to handle this scenario if we get locked out. I can't imagine what is going on at Fidelity.

Actually - we could wipe our Macs. Have them professionally cleaned, then restore. We've even done things like remove our hard drive and replace with blank system drive before sending in for computer repair to Apple.

We have multiple Macs.

 

[audreyh1]

We used to have the passcode, but it seems they changed the system?

And what about the recent feature where they have you log into another financial institution to link bank accounts? I don't like that. They used to take several business days to link before with account info but the didn't require a login - that felt more secure.

 

[mathjak107]

as of today we are 100% back except for just waiting for the new checks in the mail .

 

[Matthew J]

That's pretty good. My account got hacked on the 1st and it wasn't until today that I got a deposit back into my account. I still don't have access to my money yet, and won't until USAA decides I can. I wish they could have done like Fido and caught it before it happened.

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[scrabbler1]

I think I would tell them to pound sand and move everything to another provider as soon as practical. And at the same time broadcast your story and numb-nuts insistence that you have your PC professionally cleaned to the highest levels of Fido.

After that, if they were smart they would offer to buy you a brand new laptop if you keep your money with them.

I'm not sure about moving my entire Fidelity portfolio elsewhere, but writing a letter to a Fidelity bigwig is something I will likely do. Bake in 2005, I had a problem with Fidelity's automated phone system (I wasn't using their online access back then) after they made some changes to make it "new and improved." After receiving a form letter from some bigwig boasting about the changes, changes which made me unable to buy new shares, I wrote my letter, making sure to tell them I had invested all new money with another financial institution and would continue doing so until they fixed the bug. I received a phone call from the bigwig's assistant telling me they weren't going to change it. Then, a few months later, I got another call from her telling me they had changed the system to fix the bug, so I could now make my phone purchases. I had moved a mountain.

I still have all the correspondence including the phone number of that executive office. Looks like I will have to dig that out and contact them again.

 

[mathjak107]

we are private access clients with fidelity so next time i speak with our rep i will have her get me 100 bucks worth of free trades to cover the cost of the needless scan we had done .

 

[Scout]

Hi! Did fidelity recommend any brand of virus protection/firewall? My investment company always recommends this and requires it for a refund if a person is hacked, but they no longer make software recommendations. The threat of this happening has tempted me to buy a separate computer just for financial transactions to hopefully minimize this risk.
Also, does anyone know if a wireless system itself can become infected so that it wouldn't matter if one has the above set up?


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[mathjak107]

they did not recommend anything . i do see they offer mcafee on their site .

 

[MRG]

they did not recommend anything . i do see they offer mcafee on their site .

Yes they do. You also need to run AV software to use their hack gaurentee.

Were you running current AV when this occurred?

 

[mathjak107]

yes we use norton 360 and the hack was not on our end . they just wanted to rule us out .for all they know those numbers could have come from internally .

they once stole my atm card numbers and pin right from within the banking system .

in fact it was my wife's info that was gotten in the fidelity matter and she last logged in last year

 

[rayvt]

I spoke to the Fido Frauds man and he told me Fido won't lift the lockout on my account even though I suggested several alternatives to getting my PC "professionally cleaned."
...
I was getting nowhere with this guy so I told him to leave the online lockout in place.

Huh. My response would have been, "No problem, I'll just call Etrade as soon as I hang up with you, and move all my accounts there."

 

[mathjak107]

the catch 22 is i couldn't transfer money anywhere . the account was totally locked down .