Racism at our local bank???

[tellafriend]

California

My wife is hispanic, born in this country, speaks perfect english and is college educated.

I had to add her to my checking account the other day just to deposit a check that had been written in both our names. During that process of adding her the questioning became way too intrusive and we walked out, drove to a different bank and deposited the check - no questions asked!

My question is: Is it legal for a bank to ask you your race and if you were born in this country based on your appearance? I signed up with this bank about 6 months ago and I don't remember being asked those questions. I'm white.

Side note: We were at the doctor's the other day and they said it's now the law - they have to collect racial information about their patients. Since when?

[BelizeBreeze]

Originally Posted by tellafriend

California

My wife is hispanic, born in this country, speaks perfect english and is college educated.

I had to add her to my checking account the other day just to deposit a check that had been written in both our names. During that process of adding her the questioning became way too intrusive and we walked out, drove to a different bank and deposited the check - no questions asked!

My question is: Is it legal for a bank to ask you your race and if you were born in this country based on your appearance? I signed up with this bank about 6 months ago and I don't remember being asked those questions. I'm white.

Side note: We were at the doctor's the other day and they said it's now the law - they have to collect racial information about their patients. Since when?

What is the ENTIRE story?

[tellafriend]

California

Ok.

We had a hassle with this bank right from the start. Because of the amount of the check we were depositing the teller had to get an authorization. When he came back and told my wife she would have to get a signature guarantee from her bank I asked to speak with the supervisor.

The woman came over, introduced herself as the supervisor and repeated what the teller had said. When I told her my wife did not have an account with a bank anywhere and would not be able to get a signature guarantee she acted like she didn't believe me. She started in with, "Why don't you have an account with a bank?" and "when you get your hair done and don't have cash how do you pay?".

I told her I didn't appreciate the tone of her questioning and she told me basically to shut-up, I wasn't the one she was talking to. I couldn't believe it! She then said there was a problem because we were trying to deposit a large sum of money... and then she began to say how much it was in front of a lot of people and I told her to please not say the amount outloud but after 4 attempts to thwart her she got it out anyway. Again, I couldn't believe it!

She said the only other option was to add my wife to my account then we could deposit the check. I said fine. We walked over to new accounts and proceeded to add my wife to my account.

The questions were basically name, address, social etc... But then they started to get really intrusive. "where do you work? What is your hire date? Were you born in this country? What is your race?". These are questions you have to answer to be added to a checking account? I don't think so.

I stood up and told the woman I did not appreciate the race questions and that they were way too intrusive. Hire date? Born in this country? What race was she? I told her we would not be answering any more questions and asked to speak with the supervisor again.

She came over, we told her how displeased we were with this process and when she didn't say anything I closed the account took my money and we left (and they let us. When did money stop talking I wonder?).

After we had deposited the check very easily in another bank we started to realize something was very wrong with what we had just been through at the other bank. We've recounted this story to other people and most think it's racism.

I've never answered questions like that to get a checking account before so I'm wondering what you think because I've never been treated like this before.

And that's the entire story.