# Heads up about ACATS lock at Vanguard **URL:** \ **Category:** Investing\ **Created:** [December 18, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755 "2025-12-18T17:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@simart](https://community.clark.com/u/simart)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 5:23pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/1 "2025-12-18T17:23:21Z")
Heads up that I called Vanguard to lock my account after I read Clark’s post “Why You Need To Lock Your Brokerage Account Today.” I was surprised later when I was unable to withdraw any money either from the website or via phone. They told me they put a two week hold on my account because of my request. It’s ok, I’ve got enough money in other places, but it was inconvenient. I thought I was just blocking automated transfers and I’d still have access to my money. ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/2 "2025-12-18T17:57:37Z")
I experienced the same issue. The gentleman I spoke to on the phone didn’t tell me that. Maybe Clark needs to do more research before making suggestions like this. Can cause a lot of problems / inconvenience. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Burns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/steve_burns/32/417_2.png) [@Steve\_Burns](https://community.clark.com/u/Steve_Burns)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2025, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/3 "2025-12-18T18:27:23Z")
I called Vanguard to put the lock on. I was on the phone for 1hr and 20 minutes. I was passed to three different reps in three different departments. No one seemed to know much about the ACATAS threat. When I finally got to the right rep he asked if I wanted to put a lock on my account also so no one could change anything. He said that I would then have to call to access my account online and lift the lock. I just thought that if it took this long to put it on it would take that long to remove. I said no, just a lock on my brokerage account to prevent this ACATS scam. A prime example of Clark’s “Customer No-Service”! ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 12:11am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/4 "2025-12-19T00:11:20Z")
The rep I spoke to told me that the lock would only be good for ten days and I’d have to call to extend it…or I’d have to write a letter stating I want it locked indefinitely. When I went to purchased some CD’s a couple days ago, I wasn’t able to, said my brokerage accounts were ‘ineligible’. I’m in the process of contacting them and asking them to remove the lock. What BS!! ---
**Author:** ![simart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@simart](https://community.clark.com/u/simart)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 1:53am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/5 "2025-12-19T01:53:17Z")
Sounds like my experience. Not what I wanted or expected. ---
**Author:** ![p1g1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cab0a1/32.png) [@p1g1](https://community.clark.com/u/p1g1)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2025, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/6 "2025-12-19T20:08:10Z")
The rep told me that a ACATS lock would interfere with transfers to my linked banks. The rep also stated that since the ACATS process takes days, I was safe because I get text and email alerts for all my transactions. ---
**Author:** ![p1g1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cab0a1/32.png) [@p1g1](https://community.clark.com/u/p1g1)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/7 "2025-12-20T20:27:16Z")
Update. A family member received this email from Vanguard. “Here are the two choices for adding an ACATS restriction: Option 1: Add a Withdrawal Restriction Option 2: Add an ACAT-only Restriction” I am going to call Vanguard again about the ACATS restriction and I will ask about the temporary account hold that @ simart mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![simart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@simart](https://community.clark.com/u/simart)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2025, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/8 "2025-12-20T22:28:24Z")
Thank you! The ACATS only lock is what I thought I was getting, but instead my accounts were locked for two weeks from any withdrawals ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2025, 3:15am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/9 "2025-12-21T03:15:50Z")
@p1g1 - Please share what you find out. I’d like to know the difference between the two options. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![p1g1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cab0a1/32.png) [@p1g1](https://community.clark.com/u/p1g1)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2025, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/10 "2025-12-22T21:28:00Z")
I set up an **ACATS only** restriction today. The process was simple. I indicated that I wanted to set up an ACAT only restriction. The other choice is a restriction on all account withdrawals. The representative need to then send you an authentication code . The rep had me indicate which of my accounts I wanted to include in the restriction. The restriction starts in 1-2 business days. Turning off the restriction is a similar call process. ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 12:36am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/11 "2025-12-23T00:36:12Z")
@p1g1 Thank you for sharing. I’ll call VG after Christmas – once my current lock has expired – and see about setting it up properly. Just to confirm, you can still do transfers / buys (for CD’s, etc.) within your account, correct? ---
**Author:** ![p1g1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/cab0a1/32.png) [@p1g1](https://community.clark.com/u/p1g1)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 2:49pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/12 "2025-12-23T14:49:50Z")
> [@Dede](#): > > you can still do transfers / buys (for CD’s, etc.) within your account, correct? Yes. While in effect, the ACATS only restriction blocks transfer of accounts from brokerage A to brokerage B. ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/13 "2025-12-23T17:19:26Z")
@p1g1 Perfect! Thank you for confirming. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Burns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/steve_burns/32/417_2.png) [@Steve\_Burns](https://community.clark.com/u/Steve_Burns)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/14 "2025-12-26T18:20:53Z")
That was my experience, but it took an hour and 20 minutes on the phone. 1 hour waiting to speak to a rep and 20 minutes to get the job done. I also was passed to three different departments as the first two reps were not familar with the ACATS threat. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Burns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/steve_burns/32/417_2.png) [@Steve\_Burns](https://community.clark.com/u/Steve_Burns)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/15 "2025-12-26T18:28:45Z")
That was not my experience. See my reply below to another post. I was told that this only applied to my brokerage account and would not prevent any dividend or CG transfers to a bank or online access to my account. Nothing was said about a hold. I was told that a call to customer service would be needed to unlock it. ---
**Author:** ![Jolly](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/jolly/32/4257_2.png) [@Jolly](https://community.clark.com/u/Jolly)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2025, 10:00pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/16 "2025-12-26T22:00:23Z")
Tips for Fidelity: [https://youtu.be/vUsjeobocmY](https://youtu.be/vUsjeobocmY) ---
**Author:** ![Dede](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Dede](https://community.clark.com/u/Dede)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 12:43am UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/17 "2025-12-27T00:43:11Z")
Vanguard (and their employees) sure seem to be lacking in keeping current / trained regarding ACATS. My Fidelity account was easy-peasy. Vanguard should take lessons from Fidelity regarding this process! ---
**Author:** ![Annes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Annes](https://community.clark.com/u/Annes)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 1:49pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/18 "2026-01-22T13:49:03Z")
Would like to warn about vanguard ACATS lock. Called on 12/19 to place lock. After over 2 hours was given a ticket number and told would receive a confirmation in 3-5 business days. Ten days later after several hours of calls vanguard told me there was no lock because representative left ticket blank. So no action was taken. Was told I have no lock and none is in process. Moving all accounts to another brokerage and cannot do so as Vanguard decided to put ACATS lock on my account on 1/12/16. No one at Vanguard can tell me what I am supposed to do to remove it. They did complain that a podcast created extra work for them. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Burns](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.clark.com/steve_burns/32/417_2.png) [@Steve\_Burns](https://community.clark.com/u/Steve_Burns)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2026, 4:28pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/19 "2026-01-22T16:28:49Z")
When I called and after being transfered serveral times to someone who knew what I was talking about I was not given any “ticket”. I was just told that the lock would take several days to be applied. Nothing was said about an email confirmation and I never received one. I was told, after asking, how to remove it. I was told call. ---
**Author:** ![RealRandomNobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cab0a1/32.png) [@RealRandomNobody](https://community.clark.com/u/RealRandomNobody)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.clark.com/t/heads-up-about-acats-lock-at-vanguard/8755/20 "2026-07-15T14:15:02Z")
Vanguard ACATS lock is now available in your online account.