Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
As the title says, I'm the fool who forgot every security question for Treasury Direct.
I grew up in an era where security questions were for people who forgot their password and didn't take them seriously.
Well, I didn't forget my password, but they presented me with 10 questions anyway and now my account is locked.
I have read that you have to answer these over the phone too.
Does this mean my I bond is lost forever?
I grew up in an era where security questions were for people who forgot their password and didn't take them seriously.
Well, I didn't forget my password, but they presented me with 10 questions anyway and now my account is locked.
I have read that you have to answer these over the phone too.
Does this mean my I bond is lost forever?
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I was under the impression that you don't need to answer all ten, but you have to know which ones you chose. I certainly have no idea what I would have put as my best friend in elementary school.
I also need to call next week, so yeah, any heads up on what is involved would be appreciated.
I also need to call next week, so yeah, any heads up on what is involved would be appreciated.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Sadly I don't even remember those: nor do I remember if I gave real answers or let my browser auto-fill them.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
You should sign up for LastPass or 1Password ASAP to store these once you figure it out. Far more secure, as well, to use random answers to security questions.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I got locked out and called them and it took them only five minutes to reset it for me. It was the long wait time of maybe 40 minutes but it’s easy for me to leave my phone on speaker.
Remember when you wanted what you currently have?
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Password manager.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
And for your security questions, you shouldn't use any answer that others can find about you, especially in any online database or credit report.
If you do, others can answer just as well as you can. You can make up bogus answers (my best friend in high school was Alexander the Great) or use random words (my best friend in high school was Maple Tree). Unless you have an incredible memory, store the answers in a secure place, like an encrypted file or lockbox.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
This is exactly what I did.Marylander1 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:55 pmAnd for your security questions, you shouldn't use any answer that others can find about you, especially in any online database or credit report.
If you do, others can answer just as well as you can. You can make up bogus answers (my best friend in high school was Alexander the Great) or use random words (my best friend in high school was Maple Tree). Unless you have an incredible memory, store the answers in a secure place, like an encrypted file or lockbox.
I made up nonsense... but forgot to write it down in lastpass. R.I.P.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Since I ones are tied to your SSN they should have some mechanism for you to prove your SSN, may be slow or painful, but those IBonds are very likely recoverable.
Call their help line.
Call their help line.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I just had the same thing happen a week ago and was locked out, I haven't called yet to find out if it will be a simple fix.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
For those unfamiliar with the use of security questions in Treasury Direct here is how they are used. When signing up for an account you need to answer 3 of the 10 security questions ask (things like favorite author, best friend in school, etc). Those responses get used by Treasury Direct as additional passwords at various points in the on-going use of the website for certain actions. So when you open an account you absolutely must keep track of your answers to the security questions, those questions will get asked. As a consequence you cannot really get much comfort from successfully logging into your account because a "roadblock" security question will likely pop up at various times as you routinely use the site.
The closest helping hand is at the end of your own arm.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
This happened to my wife and I around tax time.
I could always access my account, but when we tried to access hers, since it had been so long, we were presented with the challenge questions (security questions) ...We could not for the life of us remember her answer for favorite movie, and got locked out of her account, and then phone number to call pops up. The lock is not time limited btw. You MUST call to unlock your account.
Mind you, these accounts were set up about 10 years ago, and so it would have been whatever she answered 10 years ago!
First thing to know: there is no re-setting of challenge questions or answers. Whatever questions you chose and whatever answers you gave at the time of account setup, well, those are set in stone and never change.
So, first we had to find the right day where both of us (still working) could call Treasury Direct on a (non-holiday) day when we were both home and could be on hold for quite a while. TD phone support is only 8:00 am - 5 pm EST, and if you call too late in the afternoon the recording will tell you that you've missed the cutoff time to have the phone answered that day. I knew that they would HAVE to talk to my wife directly; I wouldn't get anywhere with them for her account on my own. I was there for technical/logistical support.
We dialed at 8:00 am EST sharp...really a long menu tree to finally get in the queue and wait. At first the recording said it would be a 90 min wait...but at about the 35-minute mark, someone suddenly answered. This was on a Friday morning.
You could tell the rep had been through this drill about a million times, LOL.
First thing, they verified with my wife that I could listen to the call. I could NOT answer on behalf of my wife. Ok.
Verified the approximate current value of her account, her SS#, address, email, and bank account connected to her account (I was helpful here; told my wife, who then told the rep.)
Next, the rep reads off the first challenge question on file: "What is your dream vacation destination?" YOU CAN ONLY GIVE ONE ANSWER TO THE REP FOR EACH QUESTION. Say what? My wife answered, but the rep didn't tell her if she answered correctly.
Proceeded to do the same thing with the second and third questions. Again, only once per question.
After sweating bullets for a couple minutes, the rep said, okay I've verified your account (and identity).
The rep then listed all the correct answers that my wife had set up all those years ago, advising us to write them down. Uh, yeah, immediately logged in our password manager (Dashlane). My wife was two for three on the answers.
We were then able to login with the same password that we've been using for 10 years. (We asked the rep to stay on the phone while we logged in to make sure we could.) The site did not ask for a password reset or present the challenge questions. The rep had just unlocked the account.
I could always access my account, but when we tried to access hers, since it had been so long, we were presented with the challenge questions (security questions) ...We could not for the life of us remember her answer for favorite movie, and got locked out of her account, and then phone number to call pops up. The lock is not time limited btw. You MUST call to unlock your account.
Mind you, these accounts were set up about 10 years ago, and so it would have been whatever she answered 10 years ago!
First thing to know: there is no re-setting of challenge questions or answers. Whatever questions you chose and whatever answers you gave at the time of account setup, well, those are set in stone and never change.
So, first we had to find the right day where both of us (still working) could call Treasury Direct on a (non-holiday) day when we were both home and could be on hold for quite a while. TD phone support is only 8:00 am - 5 pm EST, and if you call too late in the afternoon the recording will tell you that you've missed the cutoff time to have the phone answered that day. I knew that they would HAVE to talk to my wife directly; I wouldn't get anywhere with them for her account on my own. I was there for technical/logistical support.
We dialed at 8:00 am EST sharp...really a long menu tree to finally get in the queue and wait. At first the recording said it would be a 90 min wait...but at about the 35-minute mark, someone suddenly answered. This was on a Friday morning.
You could tell the rep had been through this drill about a million times, LOL.
First thing, they verified with my wife that I could listen to the call. I could NOT answer on behalf of my wife. Ok.
Verified the approximate current value of her account, her SS#, address, email, and bank account connected to her account (I was helpful here; told my wife, who then told the rep.)
Next, the rep reads off the first challenge question on file: "What is your dream vacation destination?" YOU CAN ONLY GIVE ONE ANSWER TO THE REP FOR EACH QUESTION. Say what? My wife answered, but the rep didn't tell her if she answered correctly.
Proceeded to do the same thing with the second and third questions. Again, only once per question.
After sweating bullets for a couple minutes, the rep said, okay I've verified your account (and identity).
The rep then listed all the correct answers that my wife had set up all those years ago, advising us to write them down. Uh, yeah, immediately logged in our password manager (Dashlane). My wife was two for three on the answers.
We were then able to login with the same password that we've been using for 10 years. (We asked the rep to stay on the phone while we logged in to make sure we could.) The site did not ask for a password reset or present the challenge questions. The rep had just unlocked the account.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
They asked me for answers to the secret questions. When I answered them they unlocked my account.
I got locked out because I didn't realize when creating a manifest (when sending paper I bonds to them) it will ask you at least one of your secret questions. I don't provide real answers to these but make up answers and write them down in my password manager. I kept entering a wrong answer in TD so it locked me out.
So other than getting locked out and the hold time, the actual process to unlock my account was painless and quick. Nice to know the security is in place and enforced.
Remember when you wanted what you currently have?
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
How can I get Treas Direct account into Last Pass.Don' t know how to get their weird key pad log in for the password.
After entering my account-can't insert password
After entering my account-can't insert password
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Storing usernames/passwords/security question answers in a password manager is risky, because you could lose access to the password manager. Enter them into a password-protected spreadsheet as a backup.
VTI 48%, VXUS 12%, BND 40%
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I agree. Earlier post by afan and seconded seemed to suggest it
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I believe others have posted that they've gotten this to work with 1Password. I can attest that LastPass won't do it.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I would instead itch it into metal and store it in a fireproof safe on top of that. There are kits you can buy to help you do this.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I got locked out and had a very difficult time actually getting through to a person- took ~an hour of waiting on the phone multiple times after getting disconnected. When I finally got through to a person, they were courteous and professional. They will be patient/work with you on the questions would help if you used accurate answers in the first place- e.g. if the question is the model of car and you answer the only the make, they'll ask for the model as well, rather than treating that as a failure, as an online interface would.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
They can’t steal your money if you can’t remember the answers. There will be an alternate way to authenticate.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I use questions that only I could answer and can answer easily. No hacker would know the answers; nor would anyone else.Marylander1 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 3:55 pmAnd for your security questions, you shouldn't use any answer that others can find about you, especially in any online database or credit report.
If you do, others can answer just as well as you can. You can make up bogus answers (my best friend in high school was Alexander the Great) or use random words (my best friend in high school was Maple Tree). Unless you have an incredible memory, store the answers in a secure place, like an encrypted file or lockbox.
Passive investing: not about making big bucks but making profits. Active investing: not about beating the market but meeting goals. Speculation: not about timing the market but taking profitable risks.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Something unrelated but similar that may help someone in the future. Had a missing 1099-DIV. Registered for an account on their company website which said it had tax info but did not. Next i contacted a rep on the phone. They emailed a pdf. The pdf needed a password which should have been sent in a second email. Called again and another rep sent me both emails this time. Opened the pdf and luckily remembered the info because i could not save a copy of the pdf and the password would not work on the pdf when i used it again.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
A burn after reading PDF is intense but would be par for course on my experience thus farZanmar wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:20 pm Something unrelated but similar that may help someone in the future. Had a missing 1099-DIV. Registered for an account on their company website which said it had tax info but did not. Next i contacted a rep on the phone. They emailed a pdf. The pdf needed a password which should have been sent in a second email. Called again and another rep sent me both emails this time. Opened the pdf and luckily remembered the info because i could not save a copy of the pdf and the password would not work on the pdf when i used it again.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
In Chrome, right-click the password field, select "Inspect", and remove the "readonly" attribute. Then you can LastPass your password right in there.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Export from your password manager, print it out, and put it in a firesafe. For convenience, I also export to a USB key, which also goes in the firesafe. The USB key probably isn't as reliable, but if the firesafe isn't TOO abused, it's an improvement over paper.
IMHO loading your passwords into an online document is multiplying your exposure. Lots of automated harvesting bots are written to basically poke through anything they can access looking for "Things which look like credentials", which are then saved. I try to avoid even having bulk info of that type in local files, if I can help it.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Once, many years ago, I was confident that I remembered the password, but it didn't matter; the web site just randomly popped up asking for the answer of a security question that I didn't remember.
That's crazy thing about most if not all of web sites. I make up all the answers and save in a file.
OP, If I were in your shoes, I would contact TD and they should have a procedure to verify you are who you say you are and provide a process for you to reset the password.
That's crazy thing about most if not all of web sites. I make up all the answers and save in a file.
OP, If I were in your shoes, I would contact TD and they should have a procedure to verify you are who you say you are and provide a process for you to reset the password.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Every time? And I have to use Chrome? Thank you, that's clever, but no and no.shess wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:01 amIn Chrome, right-click the password field, select "Inspect", and remove the "readonly" attribute. Then you can LastPass your password right in there.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I avoid choosing questions like "favorite movie" or "best friend" because the answers are inherently subjective and can change over time.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Yes. I hate those questions.UpperNwGuy wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 5:12 am I avoid choosing questions like "favorite movie" or "best friend" because the answers are inherently subjective and can change over time.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
+1. Password managers have a field to store security questions. Would have avoided the need for all this fuss now after the fact.
Real Knowledge Comes Only From Experience
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I called them … had to wait a few minutes but they helped me reset my password (s). Very helpful.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
My experience has been that TD customer service personnel are surprisingly helpful. As to your situation, they’re not just going to shrug and say tough luck, they will assist you to confirm ID and reset the challenge questions.Raspberry-503 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 4:10 pm Since I ones are tied to your SSN they should have some mechanism for you to prove your SSN, may be slow or painful, but those IBonds are very likely recoverable.
Call their help line.
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
It defeats the purpose of having all of this security if it's that easy to reset a password.Parkinglotracer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:52 am I called them … had to wait a few minutes but they helped me reset my password (s). Very helpful.
That website breaks so many basic security rules, from the limited password length, to the case insensitivity, to the silly virtual keyboard, and now this... it doesn't inspire confidence in their security
Resetting a password should be a painful and aggravating experience.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
At least it did not self destruct. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0tNw4jNp28j0ule wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 12:50 amA burn after reading PDF is intense but would be par for course on my experience thus farZanmar wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 8:20 pm Something unrelated but similar that may help someone in the future. Had a missing 1099-DIV. Registered for an account on their company website which said it had tax info but did not. Next i contacted a rep on the phone. They emailed a pdf. The pdf needed a password which should have been sent in a second email. Called again and another rep sent me both emails this time. Opened the pdf and luckily remembered the info because i could not save a copy of the pdf and the password would not work on the pdf when i used it again.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I use Chrome with LastPass, and that's what I do. Other browsers like Firefox most likely have a very similar way you could quickly change things so that LastPass can fill the field, but it sounds like you may need a more turnkey solution.Tom_T wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 4:59 amEvery time? And I have to use Chrome? Thank you, that's clever, but no and no.shess wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 1:01 amIn Chrome, right-click the password field, select "Inspect", and remove the "readonly" attribute. Then you can LastPass your password right in there.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
After a pretty boring 2 hour wait a nice person picked up the phone and asked me the questions I chose, I got them close enough and they unlocked the account.
I made sure to ask for the proper spelling before they hung up!
I made sure to ask for the proper spelling before they hung up!
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I thought the virtual keyboard was actually better security... A keylogger virus on your PC can't pick up what you type for a password if you're not typing in a password, right?moneyflowin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:06 amIt defeats the purpose of having all of this security if it's that easy to reset a password.Parkinglotracer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:52 am I called them … had to wait a few minutes but they helped me reset my password (s). Very helpful.
That website breaks so many basic security rules, from the limited password length, to the case insensitivity, to the silly virtual keyboard, and now this... it doesn't inspire confidence in their security
Resetting a password should be a painful and aggravating experience.
"The best tools available to us are shovels, not scalpels. Don't get carried away." - vanBogle59
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
I was calling from the number they had on file. I answered all their personal questions. But point taken, I have no idea if their overall on line security is good. I doubt my wife could find our 8 ibonds in the three places they are on their weird website so maybe they are VERY secure. Lol.moneyflowin wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 11:06 amIt defeats the purpose of having all of this security if it's that easy to reset a password.Parkinglotracer wrote: ↑Mon Apr 25, 2022 7:52 am I called them … had to wait a few minutes but they helped me reset my password (s). Very helpful.
That website breaks so many basic security rules, from the limited password length, to the case insensitivity, to the silly virtual keyboard, and now this... it doesn't inspire confidence in their security
Resetting a password should be a painful and aggravating experience.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Attempting to log in to my TD account this morning, had the same problem.
My experience 6/7/23 at about 2:00 CST - able to reach a real, live, and very helpful Treasury Direct employee in less than 5 minutes.
Walked through lots of questions to confirm my identity and all was good.
The rep said lots of new people have been hired and wait times have really dropped.
Progress!
My experience 6/7/23 at about 2:00 CST - able to reach a real, live, and very helpful Treasury Direct employee in less than 5 minutes.
Walked through lots of questions to confirm my identity and all was good.
The rep said lots of new people have been hired and wait times have really dropped.
Progress!
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Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
They got rid of the keyboard.
To change security questions:
click the tab on the top called
"ManageDirect"
Manage My Account
View my Funding Options
Change my password
View/Change my security questions
Change my personalized image/caption
Update my Registration List
You will need to answer one security question to get to this page. I got lucky and got it right, and could view or change the other two.
To change security questions:
click the tab on the top called
"ManageDirect"
Manage My Account
View my Funding Options
Change my password
View/Change my security questions
Change my personalized image/caption
Update my Registration List
You will need to answer one security question to get to this page. I got lucky and got it right, and could view or change the other two.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Also PM’s have a history of being breached. Why use a third party software anyway—waste of time and disk?
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Easily taken care of over the phone. For all the negativity towards treasury direct website and customer service on this forum, I have to say that my experience has been outstanding over the years.
Re: Forgot every security question for Treasury Direct
Yeah I have to agree with that. Had an account since about 2005 and added a Trust Account last year. Have never had a problem, but then I only go onto the site a couple of times a year.
I do like it a lot more lately with the keyboard gone and being able to add a more secure password thru Bitwarden. The OTP to my email is no big deal, just copy and paste, so simple.
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