American Express error code

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singerdf

Aug 07, 2024 @ 09:57 PM

Trying to download from American Express in two different computers and two accounts gave this error: java.io.IOException: HTTP Error:503 Service

I refreshed the connection, checked for an update and disabled the connection. Now I cannot re-establish it.

I am stuck,

Debbie

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  1. 31 Posted by dwg on Aug 10, 2024 @ 02:10 AM

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    What has been seen in the U.S. is not so much as pressure from Quicken in these instances but some financial institutions walking away from provided automated access to the data. They do not want to provide or maintain the systems, nor deal with user problems.

    Hence if you want automated access these institutions tell you to use an aggregator it is not their problem.

  2. 32 Posted by dtd on Aug 10, 2024 @ 02:30 AM

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    What @dwg posted is totally correct, I just didn't want to get into the bank's strategies, the change in power structure on providing information, the aggregator bit, the banks arguing over the aggregator bit (Fidelity...) and it doesn't stop there.

    It's a mess - for now I'm trying to suss out if OFX is totally dead at Amex.

  3. 33 Posted by bmc5311 on Aug 10, 2024 @ 12:54 PM

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    For info:
    I got the 503 error with OFX, so I switched the connection to MD+, Plaid connected fine, but I still receive the 503 when trying to download AMEX credit card transactions.

  4. 34 Posted by David on Aug 10, 2024 @ 06:35 PM

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    American Express has this message posted now (see the screenshot), at a link that appears if you try to manually download your transactions. It does not seem to be accessible if you're not logged in, or I would just give the URL.

    Is there a Moneydance version of these instructions that will work?

  5. 35 Posted by james on Aug 10, 2024 @ 07:16 PM

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    Yeah - don't try that process.
    You can disable, but you won't be able to re-enable.

  6. 36 Posted by rtater on Aug 10, 2024 @ 08:45 PM

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    In Reply to bmc5311 on Aug 10, 2024 @ 09:54 AM

         For info:
         I got the 503 error with OFX, so I switched the connection to MD+, Plaid connected
         fine, but I still receive the 503 when trying to download AMEX credit card  
         transactions.
    

    I'm just a user.
    If you are getting this error while using Online->Download All Accounts, you might want to try using just the Download button that shows in the top left of the register for your Amex credit card account. If you still have the OFX connection activated alongside the MD+ connection, I believe Download All Accounts defaults to the OFX. At least in my case, the Download button allowed me to choose the MD+ connection for download and it worked while the Download All Accounts from the menu kept triggering the 503 error.

    Once I had tested the MD+ connection and was happy with it (managed all the duplicates, etc). I completely disabled the OFX connection using Toolbox. After that, Download All Accounts worked fine, even for Amex. Presumably because MD+ was at that point the only active connection available.

  7. 37 Posted by dtd on Aug 10, 2024 @ 10:03 PM

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    @bmc5311 - @rtater has this exactly correct. You set up md+, but md defaults to using ofx... wonderful set of instructions above.

  8. 38 Posted by bmc5311 on Aug 10, 2024 @ 10:04 PM

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    @rtater -
    Thanks for the tip, I thought I had already disabled OFX, but apparently there was still an old profile from a past upgrade. I never even thought about the toolbox. Once I deleted the old OFX profile MD+ worked as it should.

    Also @dtd - thanks for confirming.

    bmc5311 is good to go.

  9. 39 Posted by dtd on Aug 10, 2024 @ 10:31 PM

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    @David -
    Is there a Moneydance version of these instructions that will work? (re Amex)

    Basically, no. Almost all banks say "we support only Quicken". (Even though the long term OFX connection is used by most every finance package)

    So, the question is, what has changed and can it be "fixed", even if for a time? When USAA dropped OFX @hleofxquotes (primarily) was able to determine the shutdown was mostly about permissions (i.e. you needed a new key) and @Stuart coded the fix which worked for about a year - then it was truly shut down.

    Still working on figuring out what this shutdown is - "just" a bad server, a change, or a full shutdown of OFX.

  10. 40 Posted by David on Aug 10, 2024 @ 10:48 PM

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    ok, thanks for the information and update

  11. 41 Posted by dtd on Aug 11, 2024 @ 04:30 AM

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    I see people moving, and they may be very right to do so, as I haven't yet seen anything other than Amex OFX is gone. Still watching/looking, but it is Saturday/Sunday.

    If you move, my one piece of advice is monitor what is downloaded in the new method (whether MD+ or manual downloads from the website). You can lower the "duplicates" issue by choosing a beginning download date near to when things "cut off" - if you have downloads thru Aug 3, then say Aug 1, 2024 as your start date. Don't pick a year ago! True for both movements (MD+ or manual)

    Me? I'm "special" ;) :) - I have both OFX and MD+ set up (I do not recommend this) and am carefully monitoring all three issues (OFX, MD+, manual).

    If you do move to MD+, I recommend @rtater's advice in post 36.

    In the meantime, still observing the issue.

  12. 42 Posted by dtd on Aug 11, 2024 @ 04:42 AM

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    Also, one of my older pieces of advice - if OFX works, leave it alone. It's better than MD+ ... I have slowly, sadly, been moving items/banks one by one as the OFX window gets smaller.

  13. 43 Posted by don.gregory on Aug 11, 2024 @ 03:06 PM

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    I just switched Amex over to Plaid with the rest of my accounts (and disabled the previous online setting for it). Problems went away.

  14. 44 Posted by jsblau on Aug 11, 2024 @ 03:06 PM

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    Same issue. Called Amex customer service, but they were useless: they said the department which is responsible for OFX downloads insists nothing has changed, despite the message on their website when you manually download an OFX file - see @David's post 34. On that message, I clicked to visit Quicken support. Quicken's latest update, on August 9, says the connection to Amex is still broken.

    Since I already use MD+ for my Chase accounts, I switched Amex to MD+, and then I used Toolbox to disconnect OFX for Amex as suggested by other posts here. I also used "Match Online Accounts" on the Online menu to make sure my accounts were lined up correctly. I still use OFX for a Citibank credit card. Everything is working again.

    I agree with @dtd that you should stick with OFX on an account if it still works. Downside of MD+ is that Plaid updates are usually a day behind what's actually posted in the account. I assume that's because Plaid loads new transactions just once a day. OFX always showed exactly what is posted now.

  15. 45 Posted by jasonkwerner on Aug 11, 2024 @ 03:59 PM

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    I've tried to connect my Amex accounts via MD+, but I always get the following error from Amex (via Plaid):

    We're unable to complete your request at this time. Please try again later.
    You are now leaving American Express and returning to App/Web Partner.

  16. 46 Posted by jsblau on Aug 11, 2024 @ 04:20 PM

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    @jasonkwerner: I'm not sure if this will help, but when I connected MD to Amex via Plaid, I first logged in to the Amex website and stayed logged in, and then I was able to connect the Amex account to MD via Plaid.

  17. 47 Posted by jasonkwerner on Aug 11, 2024 @ 06:20 PM

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    @jsblau Thank you for the tip. Unfortunately, in my case, that did not help.

    I logged into Amex via web browser. Then initiated the MD+ configuration, launching Plaid. I select American Express, click continue, and two things happen simultaneously:

    1) a pop-up window is generated and is blank
    2) the already-logged-in browser window logs out

  18. 48 Posted by bmc5311 on Aug 11, 2024 @ 07:02 PM

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    @jasonkwerner - maybe try logging in from the "Online" dropdown menu --> "Open Account Website" - please note, I'm using the linux version so the verbiage or location may differ slightly.

  19. 49 Posted by singerdf on Aug 11, 2024 @ 08:02 PM

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    Open account website did not work for me. I can download manually. There is definitely something not working in trying to communicate with Amex.

  20. 50 Posted by rsworden on Aug 11, 2024 @ 09:02 PM

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    Connecting through MD+ -> Plaid worked for me. I already had some MD+ connections to my bank, so I was familiar with the process.

    Then deleting the "Online Banking" setup for Amex stopped the periodic error messages.

    Since I'm already paying for MD+, I'll just stay with this method.

    Thank you to all the people who have offered suggestions so far.

  21. 51 Posted by dtd on Aug 11, 2024 @ 09:55 PM

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    I'm no expert on how Plaid/MD+ connects, so I can't give advice on moving to MD+ other than what I've already said. One item, though - be very sure that 3rd party access is "turned on" for each account you want to move to. That's a stickler for a lot of banks. It should be turned on given you were using OFX, but in this current environment, who knows.

  22. 52 Posted by dtd on Aug 11, 2024 @ 09:58 PM

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    There does appear to be a "glimmer of hope" as to OFX working again. @hleofxquotes has a few ideas, and the hleofxquotes program is still connecting to Amex via OFX.

    So, time to dig in and figure out the differences like was done with USAA a while back...

    This user (me) would like it to work again as well.

  23. 53 Posted by hleofxquotes on Aug 12, 2024 @ 06:25 PM

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    @hleofxquotes has a few ideas

    If you need something to tie you over until this can be sorted out in MD, see

  24. 54 Posted by Stuart Beesley ... on Aug 12, 2024 @ 09:06 PM

    Stuart Beesley (Mr Toolbox)'s Avatar

    Working with hleofxquotes and @dtd, I have patched up a profile that is now working with AMEX and downloading data.. I have made the request to IK to update the config profile... Once that happens we will need to confirm it's working properly...

  25. 55 Posted by dtd on Aug 12, 2024 @ 09:15 PM

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    With @hleofxquotes help, and @Stuart's work, and my kibitzing, it looks like it will work again... just need to get the config profile put in place.

    As for "something to tie you over" - I highly recommend hleofxquotes as a tool in your "financial bag" - it works when others don't - I've had it in place since 2021 with the USAA debacle, and updated it for AMEX. I plan to keep using it for hard to handle OFX cases.

    It's an alternative in some cases for those who don't want/like MD+/Plaid.

  26. 56 Posted by singerdf on Aug 12, 2024 @ 09:51 PM

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    That is beyond awesome! While I am bit techie, I am not a coder at all. Any chance you want to share your knowledge of how to use or install hleofxquotess?

    I am on a Mac not using Linux if that helps,

    Debbie

  27. 57 Posted by jasonkwerner on Aug 12, 2024 @ 10:10 PM

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    Awesome! Thanks for your efforts and time!

    In a nutshell, what changed with AMEX?

  28. 58 Posted by dtd on Aug 12, 2024 @ 10:45 PM

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    1. The profile fix for MD will probably get put in place tomorrow given it is about midnight in the UK.

    2. @singerdf - you don't need to code, but you do have to create profiles (i.e. how to connect to Amex, or whatever... and of course if OFX doesn't work anymore (USAA, etc.) then nothing can fix THAT ofx issue) - the two links are for the program and also documentation.

    3. AMEX basically turned some ofx things off, for whatever reason (we can't get an answer, of course) - hleofxquotes didn't ask for those services, whereas MD did. We had to figure out what was on and what was off, and adjust the MD profile to work under the new Amex scenario. Now it just needs to be put in place and propagate to the user community (probably tomorrow)

    4. I'd like to do a "pat on the back" to our user community, in this case particularly to hleofxquotes and Stuart, but in general to all who contributed information on this issue in this thread - @jamie and @james and @dwg and @rtater and SO many others who make this forum amazing and helpful to insuring Moneydance is as good as it can be.

  29. 59 Posted by dtd on Aug 12, 2024 @ 10:52 PM

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    I hope I haven't "jinxed" anything by saying it's all fixed before it gets put into place...

  30. 60 Posted by David on Aug 12, 2024 @ 10:53 PM

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    Sounds like something helpful has been done — thank you! But I don't actually know what hleofxquotes is, and can't find useful information through Google either. So if this provides a way of enabling MD to download from AmEx some step-by-step instructions would be great!

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