Merrill Lynch Account Number Changed?

Posted by R. C. White on April 29, 2009, 9:08 pm

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Hi, All.

Today, when my One Step Update ran, it reported an error. My Merrill Lynch
account had failed to download. Quicken said (rather opaquely) that I
needed to check my ML account information and password - which had worked
fine yesterday. When I started my browser and went directly to
https://olui1.fs.ml.com/ and inserted my former password, I got right in.
BUT...

My Account Number had changed! And my new account reflected ZERO balances!
Now, I don't have a fortune with ML, but it was certainly worth more than
zero yesterday and I haven't liquidated any of it overnight. The new
account number was the same size as before, but still quite different. When
I asked for the latest account statement, it showed my proper information,
including my old account number, as of April 24, 2009. The latest statement
I've received by postal mail was as of March 27, 2009.

My paranoia immediately suggested that my account had been hacked. So I
tried to call my broker, who is in another state. But the toll-free number
(1-866) got a "not a valid number" message, and my paranoia gained strength.
The ML help number (1-888) got a similar recording and I was getting more
worried. Finally I logged in again and found the national customer service
number and called that. After a tour through the phone tree, I got a live
person. She tried to explain that it had something to do with Bank of
America's takeover of ML, which did not surprise me. She said it would be
cleared up soon - in days, not weeks. Mollified, I said thank you and ended
the call.

Now, a couple of hours later, my browser connection works fine and my
account number has reverted to the one I've had for 30 years. But Quicken's
One Step Update still gives me that error message [OL-334-A]. By tomorrow,
maybe the problem will have worked out with no real input from me.

So, if it happens to you, my suggestion is just to relax and see if the
situation returns to normal in a day or two. But please do post here so we
know if my experience was unique.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(Retired. No longer licensed to practice public accounting.)
rc@grandecom.net
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Using Quicken Deluxe 2009 and Windows Live Mail in Win7 x64)