Ally Invest changing security features

[ex_hacker202]

Just got this email from Ally - will we have to get this stupid security code every time we trade in our Ally accounts from within MT or when MT starts and tries to open the account view?

I cannot believe they're doing this (getting rid of email verification or using Captcha) - what are people without cell phones (or decent cell service) supposed to do when they're out of the house using WiFi and a laptop to access their Ally accounts? And we will apparently have to get this stupid code EVERY single time we access our account, not just to make a trade?!? I know that's not your problem Jerry, I'm just getting fed up with almost every service I use requiring text msgs to log in or verify you're you - I only have an emergency cell phone, it's in my car - and to have to do this every time I start MT (if that's what's going to happen) will be a PITA even if I'm at using my home computer next to my landline phone. I'm going to complain about this to Ally, but have zero faith I'll be able to change this new policy - it's the having to get a code to access my Ally account in MT every time I startup MT that's my biggest complaint, if that's what's going to happen.

 

We need you to add a phone number to your security preferences

As part of our continual efforts to keep your account safe and secure, we’re making changes to the security code delivery settings for your Ally account. In short, we’ll need you to update your preferences.

In order to log in moving forward, you’ll only be able to receive an authenticated security code through a text message or phone call, not email.

What this means for you
You'll need to add a preferred phone number to your Security Code Delivery settings. Follow these quick steps:

    Log in to your Ally account
    Select Profile and Settings
    Select Security Code Delivery
    Click Add New to add a phone number as security code delivery option
 

[Jerry Medved]

should not have to do security code every time. Just when they DO want a secondary verification. And it only applies to full login in MT. Most of the time MT can just refresh the session token that it already has.

[ex_hacker202]

Ok, I'll test it next week and let you know since they just implemented this new policy, may not be enforcing it stringently as soon as tomorrow.

[ex_hacker202]

The new verification method went live this morning and it doesn't work - don't know if the problem is with Ally or MT - I just sent this email to Ally Tech Support:

Your new verification method went live today, can no longer verify my account with an emailed security code, so I supplied my cell # and got the verification code, entered it into Medved Trader, selected "Authorize Access", but it doesn't work - I tried 6 times wasting half an hour and get stuck in an endless loop. How do I let Medved Trader access my Ally account a different way? This is frustrating as heck!

Can you check from your end? Here's the last two steps that lead to failure to verify:

 

 

 

 

 

[Jerry Medved]

Based on communication from Ally invest (without any notice), they will no longer be accessible via Medved Trader.  You can still use Medved Trader with all other brokerages and datafeeds.

[ex_hacker202]

That's bullshit - I just got off the phone with a rep expressing my displeasure, not like I think it will get them to change their minds. Very odd that they picked you up after TDA no longer wanted to support Quotetracker, Ally gave investors access to MT for free, then a few years later stopped that, and now they don't want Ally investors to use MT at all - what possible advantage could that give them? Or was it that MT was using their services and they weren't making money from it? Whatever reason, it's ridiculous that a broker would make it HARDER for their clients to access their Ally accounts.

I know you probably don't know the answers and never will - I'm just venting - I hate it when someone takes away options from me to access their services using the method I prefer to use. MT made it so easy to access all of my brokers and accounts from one place, now that convenience is gone. An example of what I'll really miss - when I was going to buy a stock in my Ally account I'd have MT display L2 and last time and sales while having an Ally trade ticket open so I could instantly make a trade when my desired price was hit - now I'll have to hop back and forth between MT and the browser with the Ally website open to make that trade - sometimes stocks move so fast that those extra seconds mean I will miss that price because the bid moved up while I was swapping which window I was viewing on my PC.

[Jerry Medved]

I can't get into details, but we ended our business relationship with them a few years ago, but basic API access remained.  In their great wisdom, they decided to disable that 

You can still use Medved Trader with all other brokerages and datafeeds.  email us if you need help selecting a compatible broker/source

[ex_hacker202]

In case anyone else finds this thread, we need to do one extra thing to stop the constant Ally account verification popup - go to Settings/Accounts, click on your Ally account, and check the "disable account" box. I'm not deleting it from MT yet just in case Ally changes their minds when clients complain and restates MT's API access.

[Jerry Medved]

actually, I am setting MT to auto delete the Ally Invest setup.