kudo's to fidelity

[target2019]

n

wow , I did see that message flash for a second before I was locked out .but they did confirm my wife's info was on a under ground site.


did it happen around 4-5pm est ?

I have two email addresses that are on compromised sites. I always get alerts from identity protection company that this is so. I use random secure passwords for those. And of course those addresses are no longer used for login.

If the login and PIN were found on a site, that is almost the worst new you could get.

Good luck with the account move. Sounds like a good idea. Also review how the attack may have happened, as the bad guy could be nearby.

 

[mathjak107]

my wife has not logged in for months and months . my guess is the info was leaked from internal sources somewhere . I am logged in daily so the stolen info would have been mine most likely mine if it was from the computer

 

[Taxman59]

did it happen around 4-5pm est ?

About 4:30, I was just trying to check the closing prices for the weekend. How did you know?

 

[mathjak107]

that was the time I got locked out too.

perhaps it was software glitch and the folks in the risk dept were not aware . now I am wondering if the story we got was really the deal .......

 

[MRG]

that was the time I got locked out too.

perhaps it was software glitch and the folks in the risk dept were not aware . now I am wondering if the story we got was really the deal .......

That happens frequently, the only folks who know about systems changes are in the IT area. Most of my career was spent attempting not to talk with the business.

(They always wine about customers issues.)

 

[scrabbler1]

I got locked out last Friday afternoon, too. I saw that "prohibited country" message for an instant, too. After calling a phone rep, I was told my account # and login password (and screen name, perhaps, I forget) were found somewhere in the "darknet."


The phone rep said I had to get my PC "professionally cleaned" even though my 2 anti-spyware scans (Malwarebytes and Windows Defender) came up clean. This annoyed me a lot. I have also lost access to their automated phone system, as I can only speak to phone reps to get info or to make trades. That actually isn't that big a deal because I rarely initiate any transactions. So, I have done nothing to try to regain automated phone or internet access to my accounts.


I think Fidelity's request for me to get my PC "professionally cleaned" is overkill. It's a nuisance not worth the time, cost, and effort to get my access back. I have used internet access for Fidelity for only a few years so losing it isn't a big deal.


Fidelity mentioned a few weeks ago that they will introduce a new, extra layer of security for certain transactions. This can be entering a texted code to make trades, for example. That's fine with me.


If Fidelity wants me to make a new username or password, that's fine. If they want to give me a new account number, that's fine. But I won't haul my PC to Geek Squad or some other outfit and wait around all day (or longer) for them to "clean" my PC.


No kudos to Fidelity from me.

 

[target2019]

I do not use Fidelity for much. If I did, this series of reports above would cause me to look deeper into "professionally cleaned", and "dark web." Not that these don't exist, but I know for a fact the Geek Squard, for instance, is not gonna send a security specialist for $100.

I'd think, that at a minimum, they would ask you to change the account login and password. Is that possible with Fidelity? Haven't needed to login since liquidating the last of college money.

Also, get a linux boot cd that will have an AV software that can update live. A scan of the computer might reveal something. Wonder what Geek Squad does?

 

[Dawg52]

I got locked out last Friday afternoon, too. I saw that "prohibited country" message for an instant, too. After calling a phone rep, I was told my account # and login password (and screen name, perhaps, I forget) were found somewhere in the "darknet."


The phone rep said I had to get my PC "professionally cleaned" even though my 2 anti-spyware scans (Malwarebytes and Windows Defender) came up clean. This annoyed me a lot. I have also lost access to their automated phone system, as I can only speak to phone reps to get info or to make trades. That actually isn't that big a deal because I rarely initiate any transactions. So, I have done nothing to try to regain automated phone or internet access to my accounts.


I think Fidelity's request for me to get my PC "professionally cleaned" is overkill. It's a nuisance not worth the time, cost, and effort to get my access back. I have used internet access for Fidelity for only a few years so losing it isn't a big deal.


Fidelity mentioned a few weeks ago that they will introduce a new, extra layer of security for certain transactions. This can be entering a texted code to make trades, for example. That's fine with me.


If Fidelity wants me to make a new username or password, that's fine. If they want to give me a new account number, that's fine. But I won't haul my PC to Geek Squad or some other outfit and wait around all day (or longer) for them to "clean" my PC.


No kudos to Fidelity from me.

Seems odd this has happened to more than one here on the same afternoon. I will be watching my acct a little closer over the near term.

 

[mathjak107]

yes very weird especially at the same time . .

we are still waiting for all the accounts to transfer .

 

[mathjak107]

I do not use Fidelity for much. If I did, this series of reports above would cause me to look deeper into "professionally cleaned", and "dark web." Not that these don't exist, but I know for a fact the Geek Squard, for instance, is not gonna send a security specialist for $100.

I'd think, that at a minimum, they would ask you to change the account login and password. Is that possible with Fidelity? Haven't needed to login since liquidating the last of college money.

Also, get a linux boot cd that will have an AV software that can update live. A scan of the computer might reveal something. Wonder what Geek Squad does?

what they require depends on the risk level . it is decided by the risk dept . you deal with a separate dept directly . some levels they let you do your own scan . others not .

 

[target2019]

what they require depends on the risk level . it is decided by the risk dept . you deal with a separate dept directly . some levels they let you do your own scan . others not .

What did geek squad actually do? Or was it different company?

I tried to login to Fidelity, but the old logins didn't work, and I have no real reason to go there, as the accounts were all emptied several years ago.

I know you can login to Vanguard and change your actual login on your own. Login should be random and as secure as they will allow. Same for password.

Of course each institution is different.

 

[mathjak107]

i use a local computer guy who is pretty reasonable and good .

 

[mathjak107]

so far one account is moved and the rest may take another 2-3 days as of saturday's updated phone call .

they mailed out new checks and new debit cards , so basically we are still not up and functioning . it looks like the whole process may actually take about 2 weeks from beginning to end .

 

[FIRE'd@51]

Did you have a brokerage account at Fido? I do a lot of option trading with them, and a shut down like this could be devastating if I couldn't roll expiring positions, etc. How would this be handled?

 

[mathjak107]

yes , and i can not trade at the moment .

the problem at this point is the new accounts are posted but still unfunded as the money is still in process being moved

 

[FIRE'd@51]

yes , and i can not trade at the moment .

the problem at this point is the new accounts are posted but still unfunded as the money is still in process being moved

I don't see why existing open positions (along with their margin) couldn't be transferred to the new account immediately.

 

[mathjak107]

i would think moving multiple 7 figures requires approvals up and down the line . various departments had to do their thing to . they took care of ordering new checks and debit cards on their own . .

only thing i will have to do is re-establish any direct deposits and bill pays .

i just wonder why when one of the accounts was funded they all couldn't be funded

 

[FIRE'd@51]

i would think moving multiple 7 figures requires approvals up and down the line . various departments had to do their thing to . they took care of ordering new checks and debit cards on their own . .

I would think the process would be expedited for those types of clients, lest Fido lose them to another firm.

 

[FIRE'd@51]

I find your whole experience unnerving at best, and bordering on unbelievable at worst. IMO, this is Fido's fault - not yours nor your wife's. I would hope their SIPC along with any other insurance they have would reimburse you for any losses you sustain due to not having access to your assets for such a long time. With regard to moving securities, your account history would show if anyone made an unauthorized trade or withdrawal in the old account.

I certainly would not give Fido "kudo's" for their handling of this.

 

[audreyh1]

I think this is very suspicious - that certain people saw messages when logging in at 4:30PM or whatever on a specific day. Just doesn't smell right.

Software glitch resulting in lockout just coincidental?

 

[MrLoco]

With my brokerage account....my account settings are set to : " not recognize unauthorized computers." This means that only cookies from my computer are "recognized" and can access the account ( at least as far as I understand it).

I do not access my account from any mobile device so this works for me.

 

[Dawg52]

With my brokerage account....my account settings are set to : " not recognize unauthorized computers." This means that only cookies from my computer are "recognized" and can access the account ( at least as far as I understand it).

I do not access my account from any mobile device so this works for me.

I'll have to double check to see if that is how mine is set up. I know I have seen messages from some sites(not sure if Fidelity) that pops up with the question....'computer not recognized, do you want to register it?' and that was about it. Perhaps with the new pass code feature they plan to use on certain transactions.....this will be one of those times to require it. Which would be good thing.

Edit: 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

 

[scrabbler1]

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 was getting nowhere with this guy so I told him to leave the online lockout in place. I'll just talk to phone reps when I need to get account information or transaction information which is pretty rare. That inconvenience is much smaller than the time and expense of packing up my PC and taking it somewhere to get the work done,


I am not far from my local Fidelity office in case I need to make a purchase of shares there, something I did many years ago which was no big deal.

 

[mathjak107]

I got locked out last Friday afternoon, too. I saw that "prohibited country" message for an instant, too. After calling a phone rep, I was told my account # and login password (and screen name, perhaps, I forget) were found somewhere in the "darknet."


The phone rep said I had to get my PC "professionally cleaned" even though my 2 anti-spyware scans (Malwarebytes and Windows Defender) came up clean. This annoyed me a lot. I have also lost access to their automated phone system, as I can only speak to phone reps to get info or to make trades. That actually isn't that big a deal because I rarely initiate any transactions. So, I have done nothing to try to regain automated phone or internet access to my accounts.


I think Fidelity's request for me to get my PC "professionally cleaned" is overkill. It's a nuisance not worth the time, cost, and effort to get my access back. I have used internet access for Fidelity for only a few years so losing it isn't a big deal.


Fidelity mentioned a few weeks ago that they will introduce a new, extra layer of security for certain transactions. This can be entering a texted code to make trades, for example. That's fine with me.


If Fidelity wants me to make a new username or password, that's fine. If they want to give me a new account number, that's fine. But I won't haul my PC to Geek Squad or some other outfit and wait around all day (or longer) for them to "clean" my PC.


No kudos to Fidelity from me.

it is weird so many of us had the same issue Friday . that makes it sound like there is more to this story. all of us on a drop site in the criminal world somewhere is just nuts. I wonder if they got hacked and that is the story line

 

[MRG]

it is weird so many of us had the same issue Friday . that makes it sound like there is more to this story. all of us on a drop site in the criminal world somewhere is just nuts. I wonder if they got hacked and that is the story line

Or they just started to recognize an already existing practice and are closing vulnerabilities?