‘Without cause’: Bank fires complaining client

The Hook ^ | 10/13/10 | Lisa Provence

[Williford]

My brother has been in the banking business for almost thirty years. I love my brother. I despise banks.

[Oshkalaboomboom]

Even if they reinstated everything today why would he want to stay?

[Carley]

Taking a page from the way Chase treats it’s customers.

[mbynack]

Rule number 1. The Customer is always right.

Rule number 2. They must be punished for their arrogance.

[1rudeboy]

Meanwhile, Kindrick is still trying to figure out how asking to see a written policy led to First Citizens dumping him. Says Kindrick, “I feel very much like I was retaliated against.”

Translation: "waah."

[MissTed]

banking ping!

[TSgt]

Spot-on about Chase!

I had one of their crappy cards. Paid it off every month. I charged a vacation to it and they doubled my interest rate. They said, “you are more of a risk now that you have a high balance.” I reminded them that I paid off said card every month. Didn’t matter.

My wife and I stormed into the local branch and closed out the card.

[NVDave]

And many here on FR want to believe that “Banks are our friends.”

[Dan Nunn]

There are some customers of my company I would love to drop.

It’s usually the loudest complainers that contribute the least in profits.

[nkycincinnatikid]

“If they send in a written complaint the FDIC will investigate”
Oh Pleeeezzzzeeee........

[IYAS9YAS]

Was it made out “and” or “or”? If “or” the bank is wrong.

[DManA]

the bank manager told him she didn’t have time to look for it, and that this policy was to protect his wife.

What we have here is a feminazi who is terrorizing the bank. No one dares cross her.

[albie]

Being treated like this at a bank is no different than getting a bad waiter. Just leave. Filing a complaint for what?

[kevkrom]

I had one of their crappy cards. Paid it off every month. I charged a vacation to it and they doubled my interest rate. They said, “you are more of a risk now that you have a high balance.” I reminded them that I paid off said card every month. Didn’t matter.

Minor point, but if you pay it off every month, isn't the interest rate irrelevant due to the "grace period"?

I mean, it's still crappy behavior by Chase, not trying to excuse that.

[MEGoody]

So move your money to another bank. What’s the problem? They don’t want your business, someone else does.

[Texas resident]

Another former chase bank customer here.

My wife and I had both signatures on the signature card. I went to cash a check made out to her for $17.00. I was imformed that they did not cash third party checks.
Closed all my accounts that day and moved to a small community bank.

Then after closing my account I get notices in the mail that my account was below the minimum amount and that I owed a $10 fee. Despite the fact that the account was closed and there was no money in it. This went on for about a year.

Too big to fail? More like too big to even function.

[TSgt]

While this is true, if I ever needed to carry debt forward a month I would be paying double the interest rate though I’ve been a good customer.

[MEGoody]

And many here on FR want to believe that “Banks are our friends.”

Banks are no more a friend or enemy than any other business. They're there to make a profit, not to be your buddy.

Having said that, it is quite stupid for a bank to do this. They must not realize that for every customer they tick off, they can count on losing (or at least not getting) additional customers because of word of mouth. The impact is going to be even greater in this case because the angry customer was interviewed by the media.

[RikaStrom]

Kindrick decided he needed a new bank, and when he told Cox, he says the bank rep immediately froze his debit card and said he had 10 days to close his account. “It wasn’t a right to bank with them, it was a privilege,” Kindrick alleges Cox told him.

So, he told the bank that he was going to go find a new bank, and the bank froze his debit card.

How is this any different than when you tell a cell phone carrier you are going to switch and they cancel your account?

I don't have sympathy for the client. He told the bank he was going to switch. They froze his debit card, they didn't keep his money. Go open your new account somewhere else and transfer your money over. A business has the right to refuse to do business with individuals. It is not a "right" to bank at that bank, it was a priveledge and probably a convenience.

Next time, follow the rules for special endorsements. He could very well have been trying to steal his wife's money. It's not the first time it's happened somewhere.