OT - Lost my cool at the bank...

Sorry for the OT, I'd like to know if I over reacted on this.

A little background, I own two oldish (1880 and 1907) buildings that are solid brick, therefore I utilize the services of a brick mason on a regular basis. This was the case the last two weeks as I had various pointing and relaying done in my shop. Today came, and as we are taking tomorrow off for a long 4th of July weekend, I cut a check to my mason for the weeks work.

He leaves and walks the two blocks to the local branch of my bank, where I contract all of my banking business. He presented his current Mississippi drivers license and my check and they refused to cash it because he didn't have two forms of ID. He walked back to my bank and told me this and I told him to just have them call me and I'd verify the check was legit. He walked back and presented the check to them and asked them to call to verify the check and they refused. So he walked back again and I said, as I was walking out for the day, that I would walk back with him no problem.

We walked into the bank, stood in line and eventually got to the teller that he had seen previously. I introduced myself as the author of the check in question and said it was fine to cash that check. SHE REFUSED because he didn't have two forms of ID. I said again, oh you must not understand, I wrote that check, that is my signature, that is my account, please cash the check for this man because he works for me. SHE REFUSED AGAIN stating that he didn't have two forms of ID.

Ok, I consider myself a rational guy, not prone to outbreaks or violence, but at this time I blew my top, big time. I went off on the lady, no cussing or profanity, but loud firm speach that went something like...

"I pay you people for the privilege of keeping my money and primarily cashing checks that I write. If you are not going to honor the checks that I write I don't much need you as a bank and you don't much need my money!"

When I stopped talking it became very clear that the entire LARGE lobby was very quiet. (Think late 1800's huge bank 27ft ceilings, marble everywhere)
I would like to point out that I have cashed checks all over town at banks that I don't have accounts with and I have NEVER been asked for two forms of ID. I'd also like to point out that my mason is an elderly black gentleman that was a bit dirty having just spent seven hours working harder than any 20 year old you would ever meet. I was so incensed, still am, that I am going down Tuesday and withdrawing every dam cent I have.

The bank manager cleared her to cash MY F(*&^%$ CHECK right in front of me, and didn't say a word to me, nothing. I know, personally and socially, the president and every vice president of that branch and you can bet they are going to get an ear full when I have a chance.

I apologize for the rant.

It sure sounds like you had good reason to raise your voice and good reason to pull your accounts out. Well done!

I sympathize with your feelings. If it was me I'd have probably written a check to myself, walked in and saw if they cashed it.... then paid the guy in cash.... but still I would be bank shopping same as you. sometimes it pays to leave an ace covered

Not at all saying your reaction wasn't warranted. But i can't think of a bank that will cash a check without 2 forms of ID if you(The person cashing the check) doesn't have an account with that particular bank. Some even ask for a damn fingerprint on the check itself here, they have an ink sponge on the counter(With 2 forms of ID).

It's a little pathetic that they wouldn't cash it with you(The account holder) standing there. Banks drive me nuts, i say give em hell.

When I had our business account with First Union, I had the same thing happen... I would sometimes pay a guy to mop up and clean up a bit. Gave him a check for 50 dollars IIRC. He came back by the shop and said they refused to cash it, since he only had 1 ID. I just let him endorse it, and gave him cash for it. I called the manager and complained that we had close to a six figure balance (pre-recession), and would have have expected at least a phone call. He replied that if I did not like the rules, to take my business elsewhere, which is what I did.. First Union exited our area shortly after that..

I see both sides.

If someone had stolen the check, and cashed it with only one form of ID, you probably would have been chewing there head off for cashing it. I love when people think they should have the rules waived just because they have X amount in it. The more I have in the bank, I am glad they are strict, because I have more to loose.

They are just trying to protect there business just like you would protect yours.

At my bank, I literally get treated like royalty just because I have a business account with them. Had a problem with a personnel account, and when they saw I also had a business account also, their attitude changed 180*. (No, it does not have tons of money in it either, thats the funny part).

Jkilroy,

Try this at the bank before you close the account:

Paper or seersucker? It still can be a valid check

Excerpt:

a check doesn't necessarily have to be written on paper. There are legends, probably apocryphal, of checks written on the backs of shirts (by tax protesters) and on watermelon rinds (by goodness knows whom -- maybe madcap farmers), even on skin. If they were written in the right format, they could be cashed. "It has to contain certain features, and it can be written on anything," says Brian Black, managing director of operations and technology for the Bank Administration Institute. "As long as it has the elements, the surface doesn't make a difference. A check is an order to pay someone, that's all it is.
"I've heard of things," Black continues. "That at one time someone wrote a check on someone else's back. Pieces of cloth -- I've heard of that, too." He has never been able to confirm these tales.
So let's say some smartypants decides to protest his tax bill by writing a check on "the shirt off his back" and mailing it to the IRS. As long as it has the account owner's name, the date, the words "Pay to the order of" followed by the payee's name, the dollar amount in numerical and in written form, the name of the bank where the account is held (along with the bank's city and state) and the signature of the account owner, it's valid.

Banksters are the real outlaws today. Loansharking is illegal but paying all the interest upfront on a bank loan is legal? That teller should be fired and you should pull all of your money from that bank. Find another that values business. I'm glad the refused to cash it the first time. The second time was also questionable, But after you showed up in person and demanded it cash and she didnt, that is pure spite and proof at least she didnt value your business.

Would have been nice to close it all right then, pay the guy cash in front of them and go.

We had a branch make 50K disappear a few years ago after selling a house, they decided to invest it for us, then tried to say that since it was all done and a locked investment they couldn't take it back out, not a paper had ever been signed, that didn't go well, but it got fixed...
Then a year ago same bank name but where I live now did a bunch of screwing around and really pissed me off on many occasions, whole thing was a nightmare, so everything got closed and they never got to sign on the final mortgage and I couldn't be happier to never deal with them again. They were not quite as pleased
Had a few other fun instances, one that wouldn't take a cheque from my lawyer cause they couldn't figure out howmany signatures needed to be on it(took 2 teller and 1 manager to figure it out) Had a USD cheque from an insurance company that was a nightmare to try to deposit, they failed to open the proper account, and wouldn't cash it as a personal one even if my name was on it, and business name was below mine, ended up having to give an equal amount guarantee they could take from another account if it didn't clear in 20 days, it was about as good a cheque as it gets.

Bank where I used to live in QC has 3-4 tellers, about 2-3 people are ever in the bank, you have to take a number and sit 10-30 minutes, its worse than the DMV.

Insert said:

I see both sides.

If someone had stolen the check, and cashed it with only one form of ID, you probably would have been chewing there head off for cashing it. I love when people think they should have the rules waived just because they have X amount in it. The more I have in the bank, I am glad they are strict, because I have more to loose.

They are just trying to protect there business just like you would protect yours.

At my bank, I literally get treated like royalty just because I have a business account with them. Had a problem with a personnel account, and when they saw I also had a business account also, their attitude changed 180*. (No, it does not have tons of money in it either, thats the funny part).

Click to expand...

I would think that a decent sized account that has been there for years would at least warrant them calling me...

I have a great bank now, a small branch of a fairly large bank.. Great folks to deal with.

I done the same at Wells-Fargo.
Dumb bitch did not want to take deposit/cash back because I did not have ATM/debit card with me.
She acted in a condescending manner, stating I should have it with me.

Response "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TALKING TO?" "I AM
NOT YOUR KID OR HUSBAND'
Heads are turning, immediate appearance of female manager.
She was 0.5% smarter than clerk, managed to comply with request.

I forgot to mention they cashed his check from the previous week no problem, same branch, same single ID. If he had been young white and cute, or wearing nice clothes, no way they would have asked for two forms of ID. Thanks for the feedback guys. I do see more clearly the various facets of the issue.

Well said Proturn!! Pull your money out, close your accounts, and go with a local credit union.

Seems like every couple years I have an experience of one sort or another that gets me angry at the bank. Each time, I just politely and calmly say, "ok, I would like to close my account now". A call to manager and apologies for whatever dumb thing they were doing quickly ensue.

1) Bankers are jerks

2) Since you were there, why didn't you just withdraw the money and pay the guy in cash?
It' about a working guy getting paid for his work, after all, not the bankers being jerks. They are jerks, by definition. They were jerks before they knew you, they were jerks before you opened your account, and they will be jerks long after you go away.

Personal banking doesn't mean diddly anymore. You can close your account, and hand your money to a new, fresh-faced set of jerks. It'll make you feel good.

loggerhogger said:

Well said Proturn!! Pull your money out, close your accounts, and go with a local credit union.

Click to expand...

BankofAmerica and Wells Fargo are still on my shit list. Local credit union last 10 years no problems.

Ugh, tellers. Most stuck up $8.50 an hour employees on the face of the earth. I've come up with a simple system:

Checks go into the ATM. Cash comes from the ATM. Business gets conducted with the branch manager. Tellers go to hell.

The manager and I get along great. His pay actually depends on keeping customers, just like most of us...

Philabuster said:

BankofAmerica and Wells Fargo are still on my shit list. Local credit union last 10 years no problems.

Click to expand...

Thy are on mine to and add Regions and Chase Manhattan to the list.

Some times it seams that banks forget thy are a SERVICE industry. I find that if I bank local (credit union in my case) I get much better service.

Marci

Banks

A few years ago I put something like 2000 USD cash in my account with the intent to have the bank do a wire transfer. After dealing with the teller I went to the manager to get the wire transfer set up. Was told it would take three days before they could do the transfer. Okay one day was a holiday but I put cash, not a check, in my account. Just the other day I put a check in my account and was told by the teller it would take two days to clear. I asked why since it was all done by electronic transfer. With no other explanation, I was told it would take two days to clear. I said "yeah, you folks have to sit on it for awhile to get some interest off it". Commerical bank really bug me. The credit union I go to is much better at all their services and don't charge for wire transfers or bank issued checks. Time to use only the credit union.

dont get me started! Bank branch personal are almost 100% idiots. I have had several similar events, pulled my accounts went to another bank and almost the same exact thing happened.