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The website for my bank (BofA) tells me 'Your Online ID and/or Location is Missing, Try Again - when I try to sign in.

  • 12 replies
  • 25 have this problem
  • 5 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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Hello, I updated Firefox (now the icon is Firefox logo and 45r on my desktop). About the same time, I updated some Add-Ons, as suggested on Firefox website. Now - when I try to log-in with bank website, I type in my user name - and I get the message 'Your online ID and/or location is missing, Please try again.' Initially I thought that it was the bank web-page - but this has been going on for daaays now, so I suspect it is some setting.... ALSO - I started getting re-routed to a strange web-page (this happens randomly), when changing, going to a link on various web sites. oops. The strange website is 'Net Assistant' and it seems to want to help search, I always back out (frequently this takes a few attempts). I cleaned the cache, got rid of cookies and mopped the floor- (just kidding on that), and I'm not sure what else to do! eek. I do not have a specific time - or event to relate these two problems to, but I suspect it is either Firefox 4 (45r?) or one of the suggested add-on updates that I did. Actually, there is a 3rd, probably related problem: My homepage is NPR (http://www.npr.org/) and whenever I click on Firefox (45r) icon, NPR page loads, but I get a message across the top - under address bar, that says 'Firefox prevented this page from automatically redirecting to another page.' Not sure what's-up with that either. p.s. The BofA page has the green 'safe' sign on the address bar.

What a confusing mess. Help! I need to get online with the bank, so I can pay my bills on time!

Hello, I updated Firefox (now the icon is Firefox logo and 45r on my desktop). About the same time, I updated some Add-Ons, as suggested on Firefox website. Now - when I try to log-in with bank website, I type in my user name - and I get the message 'Your online ID and/or location is missing, Please try again.' Initially I thought that it was the bank web-page - but this has been going on for daaays now, so I suspect it is some setting.... ALSO - I started getting re-routed to a strange web-page (this happens randomly), when changing, going to a link on various web sites. oops. The strange website is 'Net Assistant' and it seems to want to help search, I always back out (frequently this takes a few attempts). I cleaned the cache, got rid of cookies and mopped the floor- (just kidding on that), and I'm not sure what else to do! eek. I do not have a specific time - or event to relate these two problems ''to'', but I suspect it is either Firefox 4 (45r?) or one of the suggested add-on updates that I did. Actually, there is a 3rd, probably related problem: My homepage is NPR (http://www.npr.org/) and whenever I click on Firefox (45r) icon, NPR page loads, but I get a message across the top - under address bar, that says 'Firefox prevented this page from automatically redirecting to another page.' Not sure what's-up with that either. p.s. The BofA page has the green 'safe' sign on the address bar. What a confusing mess. Help! I need to get online with the bank, so I can pay my bills on time!

Chosen solution

It is all rather confusing, the person who posts is seen by others as 'owner' and if the owner marks an answer as 'helpful' apparently that marks the thread as solved. Not the best way to do it in my opinion, as

  • it can lead to threads being prematurely marked as solved
  • the owner is unable to mark their own post as solving it, and sometimes the solution is found by the owner unaided, or as a result of multiple other answers
  • unless the owner is logged on the thread is not marked as solved.

Many threads remain marked as 'unsolved' and as such may never be seen by those seeking a "solved" solution to a problem, and yet anyone reading the thread may observe that a solution was provided, and often was acknowledged as working.

( I wonder if I use allizom see; would I get an email?
What do the current emails actually say ?
- this thread just reminded me I have not tried that yet)

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (12)

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I would be very careful about banking online if there is any possibility of malware on your computer.

Your system information suggests you are using firefox 3.6.16.

  • What information shows when you use Help -> About mozilla firefox
  • type "about:config" into your location bar and hit return, what version does that show ?
    type about:config, without the quote marks but include the colon : two dots

Have a look at

If you are having problems with searches redirectiong, then have a look at What to do when searches take you to the wrong search website and try to work out which searches are being affected.

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Hi John, Thank you.... I made my page a bit smaller and 'right-clicked' on the Mozilla Logo (I thought that you could find out there - but I didn't see any info re: version). I followed your instructions in the first point: Help -> About mozilla. A smaller screen popped up and tells me that it is 4.0 running. I followed your instructions in point two: typed 'about:config' but a warning box came up! It said that I could void my warranty? (what warranty?) and I simply backed out of that - eek. Strange that what you see says 3.6.16....

I'm pretty sure that I don't have any malware. The reason I was having trouble logging into my bank was Operator Error. I hate to admit it - but you guys probably have heard everything (as a Registered Nurse in the ER for 30 years, I've heard my fair share!). This is what happened. BofA occasionally and randomly - will ask you what / which state do you bank in. There is a little drop down window that starts with Alabama..... I did not notice (Several Times!) that the state drop-down thing was there - and when I clicked to log in, the bank website wanted my Location. arrgh. I will check out the safety links, none-the-less! (knowledge is power)

I still don't know why searches were re-directed to another site (always Net Assistant - or Net Assist?) and had to click a few times to make it go back. It looked like a paid advertising website. This has not happened too recently, but it sure was aggravating for a week or so? I will also look at the link you provided for Searches redirected to another site. Thank you again, Donna

Modified by Donna

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Hi again John, I just finished looking through the three links / pages that you posted. They were very helpful - especially the last page about 'searches are redirected to another'..

I discovered (remembered) that I had blocked the website for NetAssistant, and somehow my default search was set to babylon (?). I was brave - clicked 'I'll be careful, I promise' and was able to click on reset to switch it back to Google. Phew! Thank you soooo much! Donna

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Glad you seem to have sorted things out.

The warning about the warranty is light hearted, I think at one stage it warned "here be dragons" but also intended to make us think as it warns that making changes may produce problems.

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Please click the Helpful button next to the answer that solved your Firefox support issue, when you are logged in, so this thread gets marked as Solved.

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oh..... o.k. That (those) problem(s) are solved. I did not know that the Helpful button changed it to solved. (thought that it was simply feedback for you-all) I thought that maybe an admin person - or the angel / help person changed it to solved.

I'll know better next time - (if there is a next?) Thank you, Donna

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Chosen Solution

It is all rather confusing, the person who posts is seen by others as 'owner' and if the owner marks an answer as 'helpful' apparently that marks the thread as solved. Not the best way to do it in my opinion, as

  • it can lead to threads being prematurely marked as solved
  • the owner is unable to mark their own post as solving it, and sometimes the solution is found by the owner unaided, or as a result of multiple other answers
  • unless the owner is logged on the thread is not marked as solved.

Many threads remain marked as 'unsolved' and as such may never be seen by those seeking a "solved" solution to a problem, and yet anyone reading the thread may observe that a solution was provided, and often was acknowledged as working.

( I wonder if I use allizom see; would I get an email?
What do the current emails actually say ?
- this thread just reminded me I have not tried that yet)

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Hi John, Yes, I agree that it is a bit confusing. Maybe if you put an announcement somewhere - near the beginning of the Support section - asking ppl to click 'This was Helpful' and why to click 'This was Helpful' ??

Actually, I did find a couple of posts and answers that were helpful, too!

You lost me on that last part.... allizom (?) and 'see' is a link. hmmm.... I'll have to check that out! Thanks again, Donna

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Donna,

"You lost me" that was my meandering thoughts regarding one of the threads in the contributor forum where this sort of problem was being discussed. Apparently the 'owners' are now being sent automated emails, in some circumstances, about their posts. It has been noted that not many threads get marked as solved. unexplained drop of solutions on support

This site has been modified a few times recently, the intentions being to make it both efficient and as user friendly as possible.

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Hi John, Yes, I figured as much (meandering / thinking out loud).

I have been very impressed with the support on this website - Mozilla Rocks!

Which means all of you Rock! Thank you again, Donna

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allizom is mozilla spelled backwards. It is the server where new version of the forum software is developed and tested before it is moved to the production server.

Modified by cor-el