What is the name of your state? Minnesota
Ok, so for my birthday, I get a check from my stepmother for $25.00. No biggie, right? WRONG! Today, I went to US Bank to cash the check. I'm not a US Bank customer, but my stepmother is, so the check is drawn on a US Bank account. I figure I go to US Bank so I don't get the grief of trying to cash it at another bank that I don't go to. You see, my credit union is located 65 miles from me, so cashing checks there isn't really very convenient.
It's Saturday, so the lobby isn't open, but they have drive thru until noon. I get to the window and present both my picture ID and the check for cashing. The cashier asks me if I have an account with US Bank. I say no, but it's drawn on a US Bank account. She says "I'm sorry, I can't cash this for you. You'll have to come back on Monday and go to the lobby." Now, there's nothing posted on the window saying you can't cash a US Bank check at a US Bank location from the drive thru, so I ask Lois (she's snooty by now) where is this policy posted for customers? She says it's not. I ask her if she can provide me with a copy of the policy. Again, she says she can not. I ask her why it's such an issue to cash a $25 check with verifiable funds drawn on a US Bank account when she can see me and I'm providing ID. She says I'll have to leave, but gives me an 800 number to call. I ask her if there's a supervisor I can talk to. She says there is not.
So, I call the 800 number, because Lois is pretty much done talking to me. It's in Cincinatti, Ohio. I'm in Minnesota. Helpful, huh? While I'm on the cell phone explaining my dilemma to the folks at US Bank in Ohio, she's yelling at me to get out of the drive through. Mind you, there's no cars behind me and I'm not holding up anything, but the hairs on the back of dear Lois' neck.
The people in Ohio are confused, because I've given them the account number on the check and the name of the account holder and they've verified that there are sufficient funds in the account to cash the check. But, they explain that branch rules take precedent, so they really can't help me. Kim, in Cincinatti tells me that I should ask Lois to provide me with the name and telephone number of the District Manager and the name and number of the Branch Manager so I can follow up with them. They say she is required to do at least that much.
By now, a car has pulled up behind me, so I've pulled ahead into a parking space so as not to hold up business for Ms. Lois. In my rear view mirror, I can see a County Sheriff at the drive thru window talking to Lois. I can only imagine what about.
I drive out and around the block to get back in line to ask Lois for the phone numbers that the Ohio folks suggested I get, all the while I have Kim in Ohio on the phone with me. She was pretty sympathetic. So, anyway, I finally get back to the window, and Lois takes one look at me, refuses to speak to me at the window so I can ask for the numbers, and promptly gets on the phone to call Ms. County Sheriff back. Nice, huh?
So, I'm sittin at the window going "hello!? Excuse me, Lois!!" and getting ignored when the sheriff pulls up behind me. YEEHAW! Now, I'm a criminal, too. When Lois sees the sheriff, she suddenly recovers her hearing ability, and asks me what I want. I say that I'd like her to write down the names and phone numbers of the District and Branch managers. She says she doesn't have them. Mmmhmm. Kim heard this, and says she'll call her. Who knows if that ever happened, because now, I decide to let Kim off the hook because I've got Ms. County Sheriff yelling at me, too.
I say I would simply like the names and numbers of the people I'm supposed to escalate the issue with. She shoves a name and phone number through the window of the branch manager, but refuses to give the name of the District Manager. The Sheriff is completely condescending and rude, not even bothering to ask what the issue is. Now mind you, I'm fairly assertive, but hardly threatening and screaming at anyone. I simply want to understand why I cannot cash a US Bank drawn check at a US Bank location when I can provide ID and the funds are verifiable. Furthermore, I want to understand why US Bank does not have this policy posted for customers and is unable to provide written copy upon request.
Anyone else ever had this kind of experience with a financial institution? What kind of recourse do I have, because I'm thinking that suing would be a really nice idea, if I knew what rules or laws, if any were broken. The cop told me that they have the right to refuse me service, but can they refuse to cash a check written by their own customer without a valid reason???
Ok, so for my birthday, I get a check from my stepmother for $25.00. No biggie, right? WRONG! Today, I went to US Bank to cash the check. I'm not a US Bank customer, but my stepmother is, so the check is drawn on a US Bank account. I figure I go to US Bank so I don't get the grief of trying to cash it at another bank that I don't go to. You see, my credit union is located 65 miles from me, so cashing checks there isn't really very convenient.
It's Saturday, so the lobby isn't open, but they have drive thru until noon. I get to the window and present both my picture ID and the check for cashing. The cashier asks me if I have an account with US Bank. I say no, but it's drawn on a US Bank account. She says "I'm sorry, I can't cash this for you. You'll have to come back on Monday and go to the lobby." Now, there's nothing posted on the window saying you can't cash a US Bank check at a US Bank location from the drive thru, so I ask Lois (she's snooty by now) where is this policy posted for customers? She says it's not. I ask her if she can provide me with a copy of the policy. Again, she says she can not. I ask her why it's such an issue to cash a $25 check with verifiable funds drawn on a US Bank account when she can see me and I'm providing ID. She says I'll have to leave, but gives me an 800 number to call. I ask her if there's a supervisor I can talk to. She says there is not.
So, I call the 800 number, because Lois is pretty much done talking to me. It's in Cincinatti, Ohio. I'm in Minnesota. Helpful, huh? While I'm on the cell phone explaining my dilemma to the folks at US Bank in Ohio, she's yelling at me to get out of the drive through. Mind you, there's no cars behind me and I'm not holding up anything, but the hairs on the back of dear Lois' neck.
The people in Ohio are confused, because I've given them the account number on the check and the name of the account holder and they've verified that there are sufficient funds in the account to cash the check. But, they explain that branch rules take precedent, so they really can't help me. Kim, in Cincinatti tells me that I should ask Lois to provide me with the name and telephone number of the District Manager and the name and number of the Branch Manager so I can follow up with them. They say she is required to do at least that much.
By now, a car has pulled up behind me, so I've pulled ahead into a parking space so as not to hold up business for Ms. Lois. In my rear view mirror, I can see a County Sheriff at the drive thru window talking to Lois. I can only imagine what about.
I drive out and around the block to get back in line to ask Lois for the phone numbers that the Ohio folks suggested I get, all the while I have Kim in Ohio on the phone with me. She was pretty sympathetic. So, anyway, I finally get back to the window, and Lois takes one look at me, refuses to speak to me at the window so I can ask for the numbers, and promptly gets on the phone to call Ms. County Sheriff back. Nice, huh?
So, I'm sittin at the window going "hello!? Excuse me, Lois!!" and getting ignored when the sheriff pulls up behind me. YEEHAW! Now, I'm a criminal, too. When Lois sees the sheriff, she suddenly recovers her hearing ability, and asks me what I want. I say that I'd like her to write down the names and phone numbers of the District and Branch managers. She says she doesn't have them. Mmmhmm. Kim heard this, and says she'll call her. Who knows if that ever happened, because now, I decide to let Kim off the hook because I've got Ms. County Sheriff yelling at me, too.
I say I would simply like the names and numbers of the people I'm supposed to escalate the issue with. She shoves a name and phone number through the window of the branch manager, but refuses to give the name of the District Manager. The Sheriff is completely condescending and rude, not even bothering to ask what the issue is. Now mind you, I'm fairly assertive, but hardly threatening and screaming at anyone. I simply want to understand why I cannot cash a US Bank drawn check at a US Bank location when I can provide ID and the funds are verifiable. Furthermore, I want to understand why US Bank does not have this policy posted for customers and is unable to provide written copy upon request.
Anyone else ever had this kind of experience with a financial institution? What kind of recourse do I have, because I'm thinking that suing would be a really nice idea, if I knew what rules or laws, if any were broken. The cop told me that they have the right to refuse me service, but can they refuse to cash a check written by their own customer without a valid reason???