I have finally heard a new definition of "chutzpah" - Un-frigging-believable...

[PCIntern]

OK, so here goes:

(I'm so frigging mad I almost capitalized this, but thought better of it)

I have an employee who has been with me for 27 years and has been through the mill in every way imaginable. She is one of the most loyal people I've ever met and once told me that she would work for me for the rest of her life without question. So of course, I stand ready to help her at any time.

She tells me that she had deposited a check drawn on the bank in which I make my payroll (but not her payroll check). since it was the same bank, she assumed that the monies would clear quickly, so she wrote checks to pay 10 or 12 bills. Well, when she went to deposit her payroll check, issued my me, she was told that her bank balance was STILL overdrawn...

Still overdrawn...WTF? It turned out that they 'held' the original check for three days, allowing 12 checks to bounce, charging her 35 dollars per check, and other charges. but this is where the story only BEGINS to get interesting...

So I know the manager of the bank rather well...he's a patient of mine, and always greets me well, so I told my employee to contact him directly, and he might be able to reverse at least some of the charges, right? Now if I were reading this post, I would assume that the poster, was upset b/c he didn't do this for her/me.

that is NOT why I'm this upset...

He said to her: "Actions have consequences. I would consider reversing some of these BUT what would stop you from doing this in the future?" And then he said the magic sentence:

"You need to come in for re-education."

RE-FUCKING-EDUCATION?

This coming from an industry which sank its own ships and kept the booty? So I called him up...we'll say his name is John:

Me: John this is (PC Intern) How are you?

John: Great, actually, how's your family?

Me: Terrific, but something's not-so-hot.

John: (Genuinely concerned) What's the matter?

Me.: (Succinct Explanation of the above)

John: Well, I understand how you must feel, but bank policy...

Me: Let me say this before you waste your breath...I don't give a hoot in Hell about "Bank Policy" If you don't reverse all of her charges today, I'm picking up stakes and going down the street to another bank, and one more thing: You had best better tell your Superiors in Trantor or Gaia or Atlantis or wherever their new HQ is since the bailout, that if I ever hear the word "Re-education" not affiliated with a Gulag somewhere, I'm gonna go to the Press about this.

John: (Silence)

Me: In all the years I've known you, have I ever done anything but smile and do the 'pleasantries' bit? Mark my words, I am MAD.

John: I'm really sorry, and I'll see what I can do.

Me: I certainly hope so. I look forward to seeing you on Saturday when I bring in my weekend deposit.


*********************************************************

This fokking Banking Industry is gonna lecture US on responsibility? BASTARDS!

[omega minimo]

1. Didn't you get the SCOTUS memo on American Fascism?

Apparently he did.

[dotymed]

71. Unfortunately,

I recently received a letter from my Credit Union. It seems that while we were telling everyone to switch to credit unions, they were raising their fee's and aligning their policies to those of the Big Banks.........sickening their greed...

[wolfgangmo]

99. My credit union DOES NOT DO THIS.

I suggest you shop around and make sure that they (and by they I mean letters the branch manager AND copies to the corporate/board of directors) know why you are leaving.

Don't stay if they offer to "bend the rules just this one time, just for you." Unless they change the policy - move.

[CrispyQ]

106. I just switched to a credit union a few months ago.

A week ago I used my debit/credit card that is tied to my checking account. It was denied because I didn't have enough funds in the account. This is exactly how I expect it to work! When I was at Wells Fargo, they would have accepted the charge & then dinged me with a $39 NSF charge. :grr: They did this once on a charge that was $4 over the limit. So they made $39 because my account was overdrawn by $4.

When I went in to close my Wells account she asked why. I told her I refused to support 'too big to fail' institutions, who have taken taxpayer money but still put the screws to us at every opportunity. "We're hearing that a lot," she said. Then she revealed that in the past year they have lost more customers than in the previous four years that she had been there.

Blood suckers, that's what they are.

[dotymed]

137. PCCU, my credit union,

sent out a notice last week stating that from now on they would charge a $30.00 charge on all overdrafts. They retained the right to repeatedly process the overdraft (and all of the charges that incurred) until the hugely increased overdraft was paid....last year, they treated their customers like gold.

[CrispyQ]

149. Wow. I'm really sorry to hear that.

What the fuck? Do they think they are getting lots of new customers because we want to be treated as badly as the banks treated us?

[Tesha]

154. Fees at our credit union have quietly sky-rocketed over the last year or so.

ATM fees, even at "foreign" ATMs, used to be reimbursed for
at least a few transactions a month -- no longer.

Plain duplicate checks used to be free -- no longer.

Other little pains have cropped up.

We're getting ready to move on after a long, happy relationship.

Tesha

[RedCloud]

144. I thought we saw some concentration camp areas in the US during the Bush era?

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Thanks.

Thanks for laying it on an arrogant banker, but more than that, thanks for standing up for a loyal employee. I salute you.

[omega minimo]

3. Let's all spit in the face of the New World Order

and send emails, so they can sign us up for ReEducation...........

[appal_jack]

18. word.

A second salute to PCIntern from a fellow DU'er. :patriot:

As the system grows ever more inhumane, we humans must stand up all the more for our friends and associates.

On-edit: The word "re-education" in this context is un-freaking-believably-kafka-esque.

-app

[truedelphi]

67. I am standing here in salute mode myself.

That was very gracious of you. Thanks. You made my week.

In the "Old America" people saw their employers as friends. In fact they even saw their bankers a friends. More than once I have used the inner office ph number of a bank VP to get help when the tellers didn't understand some problem affecting me.

But over the years, that "Old America" has been replaced by the New World Order America.

The bankers of that New WOrld Order give no quarter to us working people, and they clearly plan on ruining the middle class.

[Raster]

76. In the new world order, the bankers FEED off of the lower and middle classes. That's their profits.

The goodies: prime rates, free accounts and special treatment are reserved for members of their class.

In a nutshell: bankers--the pimps of the fascist financial system--are evil bastards.

[KansDem]

118. "...the bankers FEED off of the lower and middle classes."

That's because the upper class owns the banking system. Try feeding off the uppers and see what happens. I believe Bernie tried it...

[varelse]

4. Good for you!

On another tangent - after reading this, I'm even more thankful than ever to have an account at our local credit union, where funds from most paychecks deposited in person are available without any delay.

[Rick Myers]

5. Excellent!!!!!

We have just been informed by the lovely TCF Bank in Minneapolis that our free senior checking is about to cost $10.00 a month!!! Already have a new bank!!!

[Caliman73]

6. Good for you!!

They are truly bastards. They have no right to lecture anyone about making good decisions with money.

[NanceGreggs]

7. Well, all I can say is ...

:applause: :applause: :applause:

I'm hoping that if you wind up moving your account to another bank, you reply to the inevitable query of "Why did you leave us?" with a suggestion that they attend at your office for a little re-education seminar of your own.

WELL DONE!!!

[Greenpeach]

8. Unfuckingbelievable n/t

[still_one]

9. Move the money to a local bank or credit union. I wouldn't do business with a bank

like that

[WestSeattle2]

43. Yep..I moved to a credit union years ago and never looked

back. Commercial banks are a joke; I honestly don't understand why consumers continue to be abused by them.

Free checking, free bill pay, VISA with 6.9% interest, home equity line of credit at 6.9%, and free ATM at other cooperative credit unions.

Who the hell needs commercial banks with all their obscene and bullshit charges???

Oh,and my credit union ALWAYS deposits paychecks FIRST, than runs the bills through. I haven't had a bounced check in over 20 years.

[catrose]

90. I switched to credit unions 20 years ago too

But last year when I took my paycheck to one of the service centers, they said they'd have to hold it a few days. Mind you, my employer is bigger than some nations and is in the top 10 of brands recognized. The times, they are a-changing.

[redqueen]

94. +1

[baldguy]

10. "Too big to fail."

Too big to exist.

Too big to SERVE TO COMMUNITY they operate in.

[mike_c]

11. +1

Took the words right out of my mouth.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Busted!

He probably talks to lower-income people like that all the time, but never gets called on it.

Good for you.

I'd love to know what was going through his pea-brain during that long silence.

[PCIntern]

13. He's actually a really 'swift' guy usually...

and that's why I blew up.

I can't stand betrayal...he always acts so understanding and aware of one's plight...and then to get a lecture like that? From someone whom I see in my own office?

Shit.

[Kitty Herder]

14. Re-education?!!

WTF?

[DemReadingDU]

15. Be sure to let us know what happens on Saturday!

and if those charges got reversed from your employee's account.

[PCIntern]

16. Oh, I certainly 'will do'! n/t

[malaise]

17. Bravo PC Intern

:yourock:

[glitch]

19. You rock. And I agree with the others who say move to a local bank.

Also, join the local chamber of commerce (not kidding) and be VERY vocal. If they want to infiltrate our local governments we should infiltrate their local associations.

[IDemo]

20. Perhaps a free dental visit would bring him around?

[PCIntern]

22. "Is it safe???" n/t

[asdjrocky]

21. 99.9% of bankers give the rest a bad name.

[Generic Other]

23. This seems to be happening to everyone

People with auto deposit are finding that checks that arrive on payday are being put in the system ahead of the paycheck on purpose, so they will bounce.

We have always paid bills due the first of the month a day or two early and mailed them anticipating that the money will be deposited by the time the checks clear the bank thus avoiding late fees on bills. Suddenly this method is causing checks to bounce. This has only been happening the last few months.

You can be sure no check leaves my house anymore before the auto deposit is made. Never had checks bounce like this before. The banks are doing anything they can to shake us down.

[Patiod]

87. Micheal Moore covered this in his short-lived TV show

About 10 years ago. He showed how a (Philadelphia in this case) bank purposely processs all payments first, THEN deposits, hoping that at least some of the payments will bounce, generating usurous "overdraft" fees.

What irritates me is the Overdraft Protection - protecting me from bouncing a payment to the electric company is one thing, but not alerting me that my ATM account is low and giving me $120, when I have only $119 in the account isn't protecting anything but their insane profits. Why can't the ATM just say (like it used to do back in the 80s) "sorry, not enough money available for that transaction"?

[bobbolink]

24. Bank Chairman Mao?

"Reeducation"???

This is the treatment poor people get.... not a middleclass employee.

This is like one food bank I saw... it REQUIRES anyone who gets food there, no matter how little, to take a "money management" course first!!

You see, if your job pays you too little to cover all your bills, or you got laid off, YOU NEED TO LEARN TO HANDLE YOUR MONEY BETTER.

Again, I thought it was only poor folk that got this kind of shit.

Understand now why we poor folk are so angry a lot of the time? This is usual stuff for us!

[gateley]

25. You're a good person, PCIntern. It isn't always easy to stand up and do what

is right -- you're an inspiration. :banghead:

[hatrack]

26. Let us know what happens - and if they don't remove the charges, let fly!!

These clowns will have EARNED it.

[ddeclue]

27. Let me guess.. the Bank of Fuck You America strikes again?

She needs to get a lawyer and sue the crap out of them.

She needs to take her story to the local TV news and burn their ass.

She needs to take it to her Congressman.

You can turn up the heat on these assholes and make it painful to do this crap.

[MrsCorleone]

28. Bravo, PCIntern!

I had a similar experience a couple of months ago when my community bank went under and was taken over by a larger institution.

A few days after making a deposit, I received a letter stating that this new bank had placed a 14 day hold on half of my deposit, citing that "policy" required them to do so. This was the first time in 20+ years that a deposit of any size was held up. I emailed a nasty-gram stating that I would move my account unless the hold was reversed within 24 hours. To my surprise, they reversed it. I received a very apologetic phone message from the branch manager that day, my funds were released, and they assured me that this would never happen again. We'll see how that goes. But, it was interesting to see how motivated they were to keep their accounts.

Keep us posted.

[csziggy]

62. That is exactly what happened with the Savings & Loan I had my accounts with in 1988

They had never put a hold on any deposits, then suddenly started putting the maximum length hold possible on every deposit, no matter how good a record a customer had with them.

The manager of the local branch told me there was nothing she could do about it. I told her that there was no way I could live with that policy and moved my accounts the next day. I also told her and the tellers on duty that they should be applying for jobs elsewhere since I did not think the company would survive the number of customers they would lose. They were closed in less than a month.

I'd get my money out of that bank immediately.

[wolfgangmo]

103. I agree. I would look into moving banks.

I suspect that the only reason that you haven't seen this type of behavior from them is because you are a long standing commercial account. If you move they will take notice. If you don't then they will continue to screw with lots of folks.

[Lorien]

65. I had the same thing happen, only they didn't send out a note about the new "policy"

they just hit me with hundreds of dollars in bounced check fees. I got them to reverse about half of them. Then I moved my money to a new bank. :grr:

[NYC_SKP]

29. If you're anything like these banks, you'll move your business no matter what John does.

Not that you need the eye for an eye justification, he's provided all the reason you need.

Good one, thanks.

:thumbsup:

[Posteritatis]

30. That sort of thing's standard for US banks these days

Just about everyone I know down there has had an instance of banks holding checks or juggling the order in which they process things in order to rack up NSF fees. If someone's got a dollar in their account, deposits a hundred dollars, and makes a bunch of two dollar transactions, most banks will process all the smaller ones first - plus the fine for each - and only then deposit the money, which will of course vanish amidst all the fees.

They usually do that for the various automated deposits and withdrawals that happen near the end of the month or the like, but holding a check for a few days to guarantee some fines? That doesn't surprise me in the least.

Their using the word "reeducation," on the other hand...

[Posteritatis]

31. Also, K&R for going that much to bat for an employee! (nt)

[Art_from_Ark]

55. Wow, that sounds like a scam

"Check-kiting" in reverse

[Posteritatis]

56. Isn't it though? Never happened to me but still pisses me off with its mere existence. (nt)

[Art_from_Ark]

58. I guess this is one reason why people go to payday check-cashers

I never could understand why someone would take a 5-10% cut in pay just to get a check cashed, but if banks treat customers like that, I can see why some people would pay that kind of fee in order to at least have the cash in hand for immediate use.

[laughingliberal]

110. Yep. We recently went to a customer's bank to cash a check she had given us

We've taken to cashing our checks and depositing cash in our account as we are so broke we can't afford the 'hold' they put on checks we deposit. This is a customer we do a lot of work for. They told us there were insufficient funds and would not cash the check. We called her and she was furious. In the first place there were sufficient funds and, in the second place, she has a $50,000 overdraft protection on the account. She called the bank and we went back. The manager came over, looked really sheepish, and waived the fee ($6) they usually charge for cashing checks drawn on their bank. Before we reached the customer we discussed going to a check casher cause we were dead broke and needed the money even if we had to give up 5% of it. The awful thing is this is the second time this bank has done this on this customer's account. I keep wondering why she stays with them (BofA). But we are not on a personal enough basis to ask her.

We had several other banks last spring do this-told us there were insufficient funds. Several times we called the customers from the bank and they were incensed, called the bank while we were there and, magically, the banks found the money to cover the checks. I don't know what the deal is with the banks who don't want to cash checks drawn on their banks but it's an epidemic at some of them. We are considering adding $4 an hour to our rates in case we have to start using the pay day centers to cash checks.

[Fumesucker]

32. Good for you... A family member of mine just got screwed over royally by a megabank..

One that recently took over a smaller but still well known bank..

Worse than what you relate, considerably so.

[handmade34]

33. simply...thank you for standing up for your employee

:applause:

[PCIntern]

34. My employees are like family but

better...

[madmax]

35. Bravo to you kind employer!

You went to bat for your employee and that today is worth a whole lot imho. :hug:

And girl did you rip him a new one and read him the riot act all with class and right to the point.

:toast: :yourock:

[woo me with science]

36. Bravo to you.

You are A+++++++ in my book.

[jtuck004]

37. So let us know if he really does reverse all the charges ;)

And, just maybe, picks up on the fact that an apology might be a good idea...

Great response, btw

[me b zola]

38. As a member of the working class, I want to thank you

:hug: :loveya:

[donco6]

39. Haha! Cool.

Loved the rant, and totally deserved. Hope to see a positive outcome.

[Faryn Balyncd]

40. When I was growing up, the only folks that acted like bankers do now were Mafia loansharks.

[wolfgangmo]

105. The difference between the mafia then and banks now.

Is that a loan shark / bookie etc gave their word, they kept it. If they lost a bet they paid off. You can't say that about banks and you can't say that about insurance companies.

I call my insurance agent a bookie whenever I see him (kind of like "hey! It's my bookie!). He finally got pissed off with me when I did it in public meeting one too many times and loudly said that he was an INSURANCE AGENT and not some kind of crook. He went on to rant about how he worked for an honest company etc. I let him wind down and then said,"Your company is involved in 24 class action lawsuits right now and they are losing all of them because they blatently broke the law and bragged about it while ruining peoples lives. At least my bookie pays off his bets when he loses. Your company does no such thing. I would trust my money with my bookie before I EVER trusted it with you. He is honest about what he does. You aren't. When I was calling you a bookie I was being polite and trying to call you something that had some honor. But if you want publically claim that you are proud to work and with and for crooks who make the mafia look like pikers, then go right ahead."

He doesn't talk to me anymore. I couldn't be happier about it. If I wasn't stuck with his company I would move in a NY minute. (long story but I had a claim on hail damage to my house and ALLSTATE claimed that my aluminum siding could be removed, repaired and reinstalled for 20% of what the claim was. As I am suing the company no other insurance company will cover my house in the meantime. It's a cute scam - allstate doesn't pay off and if you fight back then they get to keep you as a customer for as many years as they stall the settlement.)

[donheld]

41. Please let us know if in fact he does or does not reverse the charges.

[Mopar151]

42. My bank - a small mutual savings bank - has begun doing this

I think some lousy prick sold 'em a software program. I've heard this called "stacking".

[Hekate]

47. Software, is it? "Stacking", eh? Thanks for the information. nt

[lumberjack_jeff]

44. You rock. Well done. n/t

[unblock]

45. it's all part of "gotcha capitalism".

rather than earning revenue in exchange for voluntarily exchanges goods and services, businesses have decided to get more than their fair share by creating tests and artificial moralities so you have many opportunities to make "mistakes", each of which they charge you for.

THEY CAN OFTEN GET AWAY WITH THIS BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONVINCED YOU THAT *YOU* HAVE MADE A MISTAKE.

so rather than charge everyone an annual $39 fee for their credit card, instead they ding people for paying one minute late, often after they've sat on your paper check for a dozen days in order to make it one minute late. but because it was "your" mistake, usually you back down.

this "re-education" is part of the guilt trip bit, to shame people into accepting ridiculous fees. in this case, charging up to $420 in fees because their own hold policies and a hyper-aggressive check-sorting algorithm *that* is the ridiculous, immoral behavior.

laying the trap is the failure, not falling into it.

[tbredbeck]

46. Kick some ass

Our bank has done this stuff to us too. We're shopping around for a new one now.

[Hekate]

48. Well done, PC! All the way around, well done.

:applause:

Hekate

[inna]

49. KR!! And looking forward for an update on the situation! :)

:yourock:

[Blue_Tires]

50. epic kick

[tango-tee]

51. A big, big, KnR!

With my magic rec-ing powers, it jumped from 82 to 85!

All kidding aside, thank you on behalf of those who continually get screwed. All of this is wrong on so many levels...

[flvegan]

52. Rec #86. Honestly, should be rec #186.

[Selena Harris]

53. Is this the "No Banker Left Behind " Re-Education Act?

[The Wielding Truth]

127. Clever. You are so right. Big business can take care of themselves.

We need the help.

[lpbk2713]

54. We should all have employers like you.

Thanks for sharing.

:thumbsup: :hi: :thumbsup:

[ceveritt]

57. chutzpah

Well, as usual, I'm late to the party. And everyone else here has said it better than I might have. Not that it will stop me. ...


Congrats, PCIntern. Well done, kudos, stars in your crown, etc. Standing up like that is not always as easy as it might seem after the fact. And yet you did so. My hat is off to you.

Best wishes to you + yours.

[Hannah Bell]

59. Thanks for sticking up for your employee.

[The Midway Rebel]

60. Thanks for standing up to a bully! eom

[beac]

61. Bravo!

:applause:

[Lorien]

63. My credit union's new policy is to hold non company checks for 13 business days

I discovered this after racking up $446 in bounced check fees. Thanks for telling them what for! The gall of those people never ceases to amaze me.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

64. You're the best, PCIntern! One thing I'm wondering about now....

You've always had good interactions (in the past!) with this guy, but you're a man and he sees you as an equal -- a fellow professional worthy of respect....

I wonder what his pattern is on how he behaves towards women ? ... especially women he sees as menial (secretaries, assistants, data entry techs, homemakers, etc.), undesirable-- physically or otherwise-- for whatever reason, of lesser status, powerless ......

Being a guy yourself, it's a side of him you would never see. However, I'd bet many women here have their own stories of this kind of disrespect. That's how dickweeds get away with such crap; they never let anyone with any influence see what they're doing.

Just wondering out loud.... unbelievable that he would actually see a responsible, adult woman as so worthless that he would feel entitled to scold her about actions and consequences.... treating her like a misbehaving 5 year old. How does he speak to men under similar circumstances, I wonder?


Anyway, BRAVO!! The world needs more like you!

[PCIntern]

69. good point about the gender discrepancy...

I'm so egalitarian that these things often don't occur to me...but it's possible. Will 'explore' further...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

150. Hey PC

That would be great to get your take on the issue!

I'll bet you'll be surprised.....

we womenfolk run into those dickweed types on a regular basis (yes...run into.... I'd like to run into a few --- with my car.... but I digress!),

yet very few men have any idea of what it's like to be roadblocked, passed over, talked down to and dismissed in daily life.

Keep up the good work, PC! You go, guy! :D

[Loudmxr]

66. The insult was to you. They were saying that YOUR checks asre no good.

[puebloknot]

68. K&R In a similar vein ...

... I posted this today, and it kind of sank pretty fast. I think it's probably too long for most busy people to read. But it's a very similar kind of thing that happened to someone I -- ahem -- know very well.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7642053

I hope this is not inappropriate, and if it is, I'm sure it will be zapped by the mods. But I'm posting the link to my article here in the hope that there is some kind of advice from financially savvy people at DU about what we can all do to hold the banking mafia to account.


I offended someone in the executive office of one of the big banks, and what do you know? He managed to put a hold on $8,000 I needed for dental surgery, and claimed it was "the system (read that computer system) that did it to me, and there was nothing anyone at the bank could do for me.

It's easy to say we should all just move our money out of the big banks and into the smaller local ones. But one of those small banks was just shut down here in Santa Fe last week. And the Los Alamos National Bank works under the auspices of a larger bank, as I understand it. So it's hard to know exactly who we're dealing with as customers.

How do we check these banks out to see that they're on firm footing? It's time to turn the tables and make the banks kowtow to us for a change (in my dreams, of course).

Thanks for this post. I read it in a mood very similar to yours as you wrote it, I think.

[dixiegrrrrl]

101. "How do we check these banks out to see that they're on firm footing? "

2 places on line:

http://www.bankrate.com/rates/safe-sound/ssPromo.aspx
( you want a bank that has 4 or 5 stars by their rating system)

http://banktracker.investigativereportingworkshop.org/banks/
( you want a bank that has a low loan ratio, by their system.)

[puebloknot]

124. Thank you! Very good information! nt

[Mopar151]

70. On a related note

I breifly had a job last summer with a place that used a shady temp agency. I'm in NH, and we have fairly strict labor laws about paydays, and being paid off when you leave a job. I've previously posted about this in a lounge post on "the worst boss you ever had"
Anyway - this temp agency, based in MA, paid me with a check drawn on a bank in Chicago (IIRC). I deposited it through an ATM. I then, foolisly used the money to buy gas, groceries, and the like - my wife was hospitalized at the time, and I was paying attention to her. The bank did not credit my account for 4 days, causing me to be assessed $108 in fees for overdrafts.
AFIK, I have yet to receive a w-2 from the cretins at the temp agency, which does not surprise me, as they violate other labor laws with impunity.
has anyone else encountered a similar situation?

[Enthusiast]

72. Thank you for standing up!

Way to go!

[WileEcoyote]

73. If this happened to me?

I'm out of the bank either way. With a nasty note sent to dope-orate headquarters about both the manager and the company.

[Enthusiast]

74. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

Remember that? Just wait until unlimited corporate money starts to change our elected representation.

[Captain Hilts]

75. It's legal. Sad, but true. nt

[democrank]

77. Bravo, PCIntern !

Re-education????

[mudplanet]

78. Bankers and bank employees, from the top to the bottom of the pyramid, have a tendency to become

officious pricks as often as they can.

[RoccoR5955]

79. K & R Banks should not be allowed to get away with this garbage. n/t

[Vinca]

80. You should have threatened the guy with watered down novacaine.

[Obamanaut]

81. A prudent depositor doesn't write checks on a deposit until the deposit

has cleared. It's easier to verify now that most accounts can be checked on-line, or with a phone call.

Many banks will even tell you what their waiting period policy is.

[PCIntern]

83. Three days for a check drawn on the SAME BANK?

Re-educaton?
I would assume that the check would 'clear'...and I'm quite prudent...

[Obamanaut]

86. I check even though I know the dates by which my retirement

checks and social security are deposited. Prior to any check writing or on line deductions, I verify that those deposits have been credited and the balance adjusted.

But hey, that's just me.

[wial]

82. look on the bright side:

If there's a huge backlash against Obama fueled by the corporate funds of clowns like that banker thanks to the SCOTUS coup, and they take over completely and permanently with the willing acquiescence of the terrorized American people (more Reichstag fires anyone?), well, at least Bush so gutted American power with his bungling that the rest of the world won't be as hindered from stopping the rush over the cliff of global climate change as they might have been were America still the superpower it was when Bush's minions got a hold of it.

Meanwhile, by all means use local banks and credit unions. I worked briefly at a company that insures credit unions though, and I must say, I was not impressed by their ethical caliber either.

[Pacifist Patriot]

88. The ironic thing is that I have belonged to a local credit union since 1994.

Never had a problem with them until about 4 months ago. I have no idea why but now, after so many years of being fabulous, their member service reps are dumb as a box of rocks, their automated communication system spews out misinformation, their "bank policies" have become borderline nightmarish and on and on. I overheard a woman talking on a telephone in my son's orthodontist office the other day and she was saying the same things and explaining to a friend why she was moving her accounts to a different bank. So it's not just me.

On a slightly unrelated note: Can anyone tell me why banks can take $10 of my money when someone wire transfers it to me? What the hell does it cost my bank to receive my money and put it in my account?

[wolfgangmo]

114. That's actually legit.

Most banks in the US do not have their own bank wire accounts. When money is wired a 3rd party "fast tracks" the payment so the money transfers immediately.

A wire transfer is sort of like a short term loan. Your bank pays a fee to get hooked up to the wire and they pass the cost onto you. $10 aint too bad.

[berni_mccoy]

84. You are a Hero.

[AllyCat]

85. Thank you for going to bat for your employee. Please let us know what happens

You are absolutely right about this.

[Pacifist Patriot]

89. You are a good man!

[NikolaC]

91. Bravo to you!

Most employers should stand up to banks for their employees the way that you did.

Our bank did this to us twice. My paychecks were direct deposited to our account like clockwork every week, no problem. One week, I paid some bills in anticipation of my paycheck being in the account. When I checked, there were overdraft fees in our account due to those payments and my paycheck was nowhere in sight. I called my employer who assured my that my pay went in as always, but that the bank had until that Friday to post my pay :mad:. I then had to fight it out with the bank who, as a "courtesy", refunded half of the fees.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I deposited a check, which was drawn on a local branch of one of the big banks, during branch hours on a Saturday. The following Monday was a holiday, but I was assured that the funds would be available on Tuesday. In the past there had been no problem with this. Guess what happened? The funds were not available and there was an overdraft fee the next day, in the amount of $36, for a bill that I paid. When I called the bank to fight it since I was told that the funds would be available, they informed me that I should have opened an overdraft protection account when it was offered and that the "system" would not allow them to reverse the charges since they had already done me a favor by reversing some charges last year. The "supervisor" that I spoke with was very condescending and I told her that I did not know how she she could sleep at night knowing that she and her employer were stealing from their customers like this. This was the final straw for us with that bank.

The sad thing is that we were fine with this bank until the last year or so when they started with their little games. We are going to open an account with our local credit union next month and close our accounts with this bank since going with the big banks seems to be nothing but trouble.

[BeliQueen]

92. Thank you!

For being a decent human being and wonderful boss, thank you so much.

I'm certain you employee has thanked you many times over, but what you did set the balance in the world straight one more time.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

P.S. Your story brought tears of joy to my eyes.

[whathehell]

93. Good on ya........arrogant bastards.

[pipi_k]

95. Wow...what can I add that hasn't already been said....

Stupid arrogant bastards...

like a few mentioned, please do let us all know what happens tomorrow.

Also, kudos to you for sticking up for a "little guy" :)

[glinda]

96. Doncha know.... Banks are "people" and they can now "act like people" and not "businesses".

[customerserviceguy]

97. You've uncovered an ugly truth

In every line of business, there is at least one "type" of customer that is mocked or degraded. In the banking industry, it's check bouncers. It's the way they get to pat themselves on the back for charging $35 insufficient funds fees. If the banks saw customers as human beings who sometimes have problems outside their control, they wouldn't be able to psych themselves up to do that.

I see it where I work, as well. I refuse to succumb to the groupthink, I will always continue to treat our customers the way I would want a member of my family treated.

[NJCher]

98. tell her to sue in small claims

It's easy to fill out the forms in Small Claims. This forces them to send an attorney, as they are a corporation. It costs them more to send the attorney than to waive the fees.

To hell with waiving half the fees.


Cher

[lefty2000]

100. On the other hand....

There may be a good reason for these rules about not crediting a check immediately. You don't want to enable check kiting scams.

There may be a good reason for charging a fee for handling a bad check.

On the other hand, the size of that fee is obviously calculated to produce revenue. They want you to write bad checks, and if you don't do so, they will try to trap you into writing bad checks.

The modern business ethic is predatory and anti-social.

[dixiegrrrrl]

102. Was the bank being literal about "re-education"?

Are they actually offering ( you need to "come in") re-education type courses or was that a throw away line?
(Never mind the fact he called her stupid, essentially, and treated her with contempt, AND insulted your credit worthiness..)

[mwooldri]

104. I'm glad you did this... really I am.

And I work FOR a bank.

The word "re-education" gets bandied around here like candy. It's never ever told that to the customer face-to-face but if account notes that a bank has on record for any customer requesting credit, more than likely the words "re-educated customer" will appear somewhere.

But coming in for re-education? That's a new one for me.

Plus the bank did wrong in holding onto that check.

I'm still pissed at a bank who held on to my funds when I opened the account. Problem was the deposit was actual CASH - so they held the funds to verify if the CASH was valid. This was back in 1999. I keep the account open with them in spite of them merging with another bank and now merging with another bank...

Mark.

[tom_paine]

107. Good for you, PCIntern - wish you were my doctor...

[tomg]

108. That is great. More folks

like you and fewer banks like them, and we start getting somewhere. Absolutely wonderful.

[farmout rightarm]

109. Good on ya! Can you tell us the name of the thug...er, bank?

;-)

[Poll_Blind]

111. Seriously, a bank manager who talks like this is NOT one you should be banking with.

Not all banks are like this and not all bank mangers are. If they're actively and unrepentantly fucking with their customers like this, publicize it. (And get your (or her, in this case) money somewhere else)

PB

[driver8]

112. I agree with you. Eff this bank -- take your business elsewhere.

If this was me, there would not be a second chance.

[abelenkpe2]

113. You are awesome

This is a heartwarming story. Thank you for sticking up for your employee.

[ellaydubya]

115. 5 Star Response!!!

Way to go!!! You told him!!! That was great- keep us posted of any development.

[SeattleVet]

116. Well done! Some banks can be the pits.

I had an account at Wells Fargo several years ago (I didn't open it - they bought out another bank). They started charging a monthly 'statement fee', so I went to a quarterly statement. The they started charging for the quarterly statement, unless you maintained some out-of-line high balance. I went in to close the account; that's when the fun started.

Of course, the first thing they always ask is "Why are you leaving us?". I was honest - "It costs me way too much money to keep my money here."

It took 2 weeks (they had to to 'make sure that there were no outstanding checks', even though I hadn't used them in several weeks, already having opened a credit union account). Then they gave me my cash - just over $100, minus the $10 'account closing fee'. At least, they gave me the cash that was in the account *that* day. A few days later the accrued interest was credited to the (supposedly closed) account. So now I had a 'closed' account with something like $0.48 in it. A few weeks later the next statement came in - with the fee waived, since there wasn't enough in the account to pay it. I figured it was costing them a LOT more than what I had there, so I just left it alone...for the next several years.

Every 3 months I got a statement, which had to have cost them several times the account total to prepare and mail. They always waived the statement fee. This went on for something like 5 years. They finally sent out a notice that they were placing the account into 'inactive' status, and I would receive no more statements. I went to the local branch and finally closed the account. They gave me my $0.73, and magnanimously waived their account closing fee.

Bastards - but I figure I at least got back at them, pennies at a time over several years, just like they screw the rest of us.

[KansDem]

117. Good job! Too bad we all don't have a PCIntern as an advocate!

Sounds like a situation I had (but not nearly as adverse!) with my employer's bank about 10 years ago.

Before I had direct deposit, I deposited my paycheck with my savings and loan. Well, one payday I needed the cash before I got to my S&L, so I took my lunch hour and went to the bank my employer uses and tried to cash the check. The teller told me I'd have to provide a thumbprint before my paycheck could be cashed. It was my personal policy to not do so, so I asked her if this policy extended to checks drawn on her bank? She said it did, so I turned and left.

I mean, I could understand personal checks and the like, but checks drawn on the bank I want to cash it at? I don't understand this...

[NoSheep]

119. I wish more people would speak up as you did. Excellent job!

:applause:

[The Backlash Cometh]

120. The people in Gaia are not going to be happy about this defamation.

I would lawyer up if I were you.

[Fire1]

121. Exact same thing happened to me with Chase. I hate banks. n/t

[meegbear]

122. Is the bank Bank of America?

I had 4 credit cards, 1 with Chase and 3 with BoA. When the Bankrupt Bill went into effect, my cards' interest rates were retroactively raised to 28% (Chase) and 31% (BoA). I have to go to debt consolidation, which they in part lowered the rates.

I got a letter from Chase acknowledging me signing up for the program. BoA sent me a similar letter with a part saying that I should learn how to handle my finances better. As if raising my rates to 31% had nothing to do with it.

Glad you got that straightened out! :thumbsup:

[PCIntern]

147. No...but they are possibly the worst

people with whom I have ever had to deal.

[Political Heretic]

155. My bet is USBank.

I despise USBank and its the worst bank I've ever dealt with.

I'm currently refusing to pay them six hundred and some dollars they claim I owe them because of less than 50$ overdraft. I so hope the collectors they sick one my follow through with their thread, I want to go to court. I want to say my piece in public about these assholes.

[Nordmadr]

123. I had a local bank. It was bought out, not once, but twice

and I did not change my banking, because it was easier not to. $35 whammies just like this have happily sent me local again. Crooks bleeding you for every penny they can get away with.

[Jefferson23]

125. PCIntern, BRAVO!

[Vidar]

126. Everyone should have a friend like you.

[girl_interrupted]

128. Thank You Arianna & Huffington Post for "Move Your Money"

Finally someone who gave a damn about how banks are screwing us in every way possible & did something about it. The "Move Your Money" from "the banks to big to fail" is catching on like wild fire. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/move-your-money-a-new-yea_b_406022.html

The story the OP related is the same story I've heard numerous times in the past few weeks. It's the new scam banks are pulling to make even more money off of its customers. To add insult to injury, while they hold your money in your savings account, they give you the most pathetic interest rates going and look for every way to screw you, via hidden fees. That's their way of "thanking you" for using their "services". The credit cards they issue are still allowed to abuse their customers too. So much for the "Credit Card Reform Bill" No caps & guns in National Parks. What a piece of useless garbage.


While banks & their investors walk away scott free from loans they default on, God forbid an ordinary person should do the same, they are called "irresponsible". What bullshit. There is no "Re-Education" for banks. They pile up debt & get interest free bailouts via our taxpayer dollars. What's good for the goose, should be good for the gander. I'd like to see them get a dose of their own medicine.

Arianna Huffington isn't a politician, although sometimes I wish she were. Yet she has done more to help the average consumer then the politicians we have put in office. We supported the politicians, it should have been their turn to support us. I wish the politicians would pay attention, there is a lot of voter rage out there, they should be tapping into, otherwise it won't be just "to big to fail banks", voters will be walking away from.

[HughMoran]

129. Good on you

Person to person is the only way to humanize these people - they're too sheltered from the average person.

[colorado_ufo]

130. I have banked with U.S. Bank for well over 20 years

and even though they are big, they have ALWAYS treated me just great and frequently gone the extra mile to help me. Plus, they offer a heaping helping of free services that most banks charge for.

Nope, I don't work for them or have any friends or relatives who do: I'm just a satisfied - and grateful - customer.

[annabanana]

131. I trust you will tell us *which bank* if they don't clear this up.

They deserve a big stinkin' pile of bad publicity.

[femrap]

132. If these banksters

keep pushing people, things can turn ugly.

I use local banks...small and a couple of Credit Unions.

Let the fucking big banks FAIL! Let them declare bankruptcy. Send in the unemployed Accountants, IT, lawyers, etc. to straighten out the mess. The people who created this mess CANNOT solve it.

[aquart]

133. I love you. May you and yours flourish upon the earth.

[1monster]

134. I've banked at the same place for twenty-seven years, even though the bank is not the

same one in which I opened my account (I think this last "merger" makes the nineth or tenth time the bank has changed hands in those years).

Each time some of the privileges that came with having an account with that bank were curtailed.(Including instant credit for a payroll deposit).

I went in to deposit a check on Feburary 1 that was the proceeds from selling a now unneeded insurance policy drawn on a very well known insurance company. The check wasn't that large. It equaled about two months worth of payroll deposits from my husband and I. In the past, under the "unmerged" bank, I have deposited bigger checks and gotten instant credit (well instant after it went through bookkeeping).

Not this time. I was told by the teller that there would be a five day hold on the money. I asked to see the supervisor, pointed out that it was a very well known insurance company's check and that I had been banking ther for 27 years anda expected some consideration of the fact. I also mentioned that they would have their money in the bank by Wednesday or Thursday with today's electronic check processing.

I was told point blank no go.

This bank, by the way has more turnovers (in employment) than a pastry shop.

To make matters worse, the teller was very condesending in her attitude, body language, tone of voice and facial expression. After being given a receipt which stated my money would not be availabale until February 10 (even allowing for weekends, that's more than five days!), the teller told me, "You're done. You can leave now."

I said, "No ma'am, I requested cash back and there is plenty more than enough in my account before this deposit to cover it."

"Then you'll have to fill out another form!" which she threw on the counter.

"AND I WANT TO CLOSE OUT THIS ACCOUNT." Now I was really angry.

"Then you will have to sit down."

It was late and I didn't have time for their little games. "Never mind," I said. I'll come back another day and close out all of my accounts" (Did I mention that I have one checking account and three savings accounts in this bank? And that they pay 1/3 of one percent interest?)

I'm waiting till my money is clear and then closing out three of the accounts and going to a credit union. The fourth account has to wait for an electronic deposit which will be about two months in coming. Then, "Ta ta, you greedy bastards. Enough is enough."

On edit: Went to transfer some funds out of my savings into my checking and found a $38.00 NSF charge on my account. Since I still had a nice balance even before the deposit of the check on hold, there was no way I had over drawn and I called the bank on it. "Oh it's a computer error. When we put the hold on your check, the computer went down and we had to reenter it and the computer read it as an overdraft. We are refunding your money right now."

"Good. Because I am very unhappy with the treatement I got from your bank yesterday afternoon, and if you hadn't refunded that money, I would have been down there in five minutes to close out all of my accounts."

Also, thanks for going straight to the horses mouth on this and telling him what a horses behind he apparently is.

[TheKentuckian]

135. The reeducation snark is beyond the pale. Thanks for being a boss that values your people.

My crime syndicate was screwing around holding deposits on me this month and have siphoned off over a quarter of my month's pittance.

Of course the total value of the transactions was maybe 75 bucks, even loansharks never asked for 300% on a "loan" (in quotes because normally my deposits would have long since posted and for some of them the money was there but they like to stack transactions to further hose you).

[mzmolly]

136. This is one way banks scam customers. They do have to make the first $100

available the next day, however. They're also supposed to notify customers if they're placing a hold. But if it's not done in person, they wrack up charges as the mail takes time to arrive.

Good for you PCIntern :toast:

[Missy Vixen]

138. I would work for you for the rest of my life as well.

To actually call the guy and tell him you'd move your account if he didn't make this right? Good for you. She is lucky to work for someone who will go to the mat for her.

We overdrew our debit card last month. They paid the charges but dinged us $25 per incident. We haven't overdrawn anything for several years now, so I called the credit union manager. We got half the charges reversed. At least she didn't ask us to come in for "re-education". It was our fault; I had to take my medicine. I needed the $50 it cost me, but I won't let it happen again.

Here's another little secret: Make friends with someone at your bank. We discovered that banks can reverse NSF charges at will when we were first married and learning to write on a joint account. ;-)

[pleah]

139. WTF? Re-education in what, exactly?

:wow: :shrug: That is so fucked up.

[On the Road]

140. If She Needs Re-Education in Anything,

it's having a trusting attitude toward banks. These days, you have to know the holding periods and other bank policies to be safe.

My credit union started five-day holds for money orders(!) and seven days for large checks, even if they're cashier's checks. They will shorten the time, but you have to ask a manager. Just having a check deposited is no longer good enough.

I was naive enough to assume that when Bank of America offered me an additional $20,000 in credit limit, they were offering me $20,000 in credit. Not true at all. When I tried to use a good chunk of it for some renovations, they denied the cash advance and pulled all my other credit as well, prompting every other card provider to do the same. I eventually had over $40k of available credit withdrawn. My credit rating plunged and I couldn't even borrow on a house I owned free and clear. Just barely squeaked through.

Now I know how the system works. If they offer you $20k, you can take $10k or they'll panic. If you write a check, make sure the money is available. There do need to be some federal policies on these things, but until then we're on our own.

[bkozumplik]

141. I smell bank of america

Was it B of A by chance?

[DawgHouse]

142. You are a great friend!

I wish there were more people like you.

[WillyT]

143. Way Ta Go PCIntern !!! - K & R !!!

:yourock:

:patriot:

:kick:

[Quasimodem]

145. You're right, that's not ordinary everyday chutzpah.

That's chutzpah with mud flaps and a spoiler.

[Kajsa]

146. Damn- too late to 'R' this, but here's an action link

to let the banks know-

ENOUGH!

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/finalnotice?rk=6pqKZTdqbbj%5fE

:kick:

[girl_interrupted]

148. Kajsa Geat link! K&R!

I just joined up, thanks!

[Kajsa]

151. You're welcome!

:hi:

[lonestarnot]

152. Have a copy of that on my front porch.

:)

[dkf]

153. Is there a way to get the funds to her electronically? Ach maybe?

I think those funds tend to be good whereas checks take some time.

[Demeter]

156. Can't Reccomend, but I can Applaud VERY Loudly!

:fistbump: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[ohtransplant]

157. You're a great boss.

and your banker needs some re-education himself - a little wall-to-wall counseling as we used to say.

If more people directed their answers/response to where it's deserved things just might improve. Instead, too many people become teabaggers and direct their anger at the imagined bogeyman - and nothing is resolved.

Well done.

[Autonomy]

158. I love reading 'bout a good ass-whoopin in the morning

esp if it's a snooty bank employee what's gettin' whooped on.