If they are saying this to you, they are wrong.  I am talking with their compliance department right now about this to make sure they correct this if the issue is real.

Electronic trades are not effected by this. If TD Ameritade, ((who is also is a market maker)) is restricting buys then leave them.

Let me ask you a question.  If a market maker who is short a ton of shares can stop people from buying shares but does allow them to sell all day.  Will that help that market maker who is short and would love to cover as cheap as possible after they lift their own Chill which has no legal merit?