Banks, fees, and stupid charges (including legal charges)
Man arrested for Trespassing after refusing to submit to non-customer fee
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JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
Sorry I couldn't find a link to a printed version of the news report I watched last nite on the local FOX news affiliate. During their news report, they did a report on banks and the fees that they have been increasingly trying to collect your money with. During the report, the reporter detailed the story of one customer that went into a Bank of America branch, with check drawn on Bank of America, and wished to cash the check. The customer was then hit for a $5 "non relationship" fee for the priviledge of getting the check cashed. The bank reasoned that since he (the customer) was not a Bank of America account holder that they could charge him $5 for the priviledge of getting the cash that another customer was trying to paying him.
The story gets better, because the customer that was trying to cash the check decided he was not going to be subjected to the fees, and he patiently and politely refused to leave the bank without the $5 fee being waived. The bank proceeded to contact the police, who came and charged the man with trespass.
The charges of trespass were eventually dropped, but the bank would not talk to the reporter about the story that was done giving the man a chance to tell his side of the story. His side of the story, along with several (more than 6) other people's story is that Bank of America, and some other banks is trying to gouge customers unfairly for these fees. The man that was arrested had refused to leave the bank because of the principal involved. He felt it was unfair to charge such a fee, and really unfair to do it because the bank policy wasn't made clear before he provided the check to the bank for cashing.
Again, I wish I had links to the more detailed story, but in either case it is the kind of story that really pisses me off.
Banks are getting increasingly hostile to non-customers, and customers alike really. If you are not fortunate enough to hold a large mortgage and have an almost uninsurable amount of money deposited with a bank, the bank will typically find a way to get more of your money for the service they provide. Use of teller fees, ATM fees, minimum balance fees, per check charges, and every other ridiculous fee that can be imagined are charged to customers. If you are a non-customer of a bank, and only want to cash a check that someone wrote from an account at that bank you can enjoy even more charges (such as this "non-relationship fee").
Where are these fees going to end? What happened to the idea that it is "your" money and not the banks? Even more importantly, what happened to the idea that banks provide services for modest fees, rather than for fees that eat up what little money customers may have available to deposit.
I'm not surprised that many people just refuse to even deal with banks. I laugh a bit at the luddites that refuse to use ATMs, but more and more I'm thinking that the idea of not letting a bank hold your money may not be that bad of an idea.
Anyway, the man that was charged with trespass has apparently found legal representation, along with more than 6 other individuals who are also represented by the same lawyer, and the case will be tested in court. Though Bank of America apparently does claim that the fees they charge are completely legal, some local and state laws that require payment in cash or equivalent dollar values may preclude the ability of the bank to charge the fees, or may mean that those customers that write checks that non-customers wish to cash may be forced to foot the bill.
The story gets better, because the customer that was trying to cash the check decided he was not going to be subjected to the fees, and he patiently and politely refused to leave the bank without the $5 fee being waived. The bank proceeded to contact the police, who came and charged the man with trespass.
The charges of trespass were eventually dropped, but the bank would not talk to the reporter about the story that was done giving the man a chance to tell his side of the story. His side of the story, along with several (more than 6) other people's story is that Bank of America, and some other banks is trying to gouge customers unfairly for these fees. The man that was arrested had refused to leave the bank because of the principal involved. He felt it was unfair to charge such a fee, and really unfair to do it because the bank policy wasn't made clear before he provided the check to the bank for cashing.
Again, I wish I had links to the more detailed story, but in either case it is the kind of story that really pisses me off.
Banks are getting increasingly hostile to non-customers, and customers alike really. If you are not fortunate enough to hold a large mortgage and have an almost uninsurable amount of money deposited with a bank, the bank will typically find a way to get more of your money for the service they provide. Use of teller fees, ATM fees, minimum balance fees, per check charges, and every other ridiculous fee that can be imagined are charged to customers. If you are a non-customer of a bank, and only want to cash a check that someone wrote from an account at that bank you can enjoy even more charges (such as this "non-relationship fee").
Where are these fees going to end? What happened to the idea that it is "your" money and not the banks? Even more importantly, what happened to the idea that banks provide services for modest fees, rather than for fees that eat up what little money customers may have available to deposit.
I'm not surprised that many people just refuse to even deal with banks. I laugh a bit at the luddites that refuse to use ATMs, but more and more I'm thinking that the idea of not letting a bank hold your money may not be that bad of an idea.
Anyway, the man that was charged with trespass has apparently found legal representation, along with more than 6 other individuals who are also represented by the same lawyer, and the case will be tested in court. Though Bank of America apparently does claim that the fees they charge are completely legal, some local and state laws that require payment in cash or equivalent dollar values may preclude the ability of the bank to charge the fees, or may mean that those customers that write checks that non-customers wish to cash may be forced to foot the bill.
