Posted on 02/13/2007 4:57:42 PM PST by John Jorsett
Bank of America Corp., Tampa Bay's largest bank, has begun offering credit cards to customers without Social Security numbers, a group that typically includes illegal immigrants.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the BofA card is open to individuals without a Social Security number or a credit history, as long as they have held a checking account with the bank for three months without an overdraft.
Charlotte, N.C.-based BofA (NYSE:BAC) tested the program last year at five branches in Los Angeles. Last week, BofA expanded it to 51 branches in Los Angeles County, the newspaper says.
The bank hopes to roll out the program nationally this year.
A BofA spokesman was unavailable to comment.
U.S. banks have been offering checking accounts and mortgages to the nation's fast-growing ranks of undocumented immigrants, most of whom are Hispanic, the newspaper says, adding these immigrants generally have not been able to get major credit cards.
BofA holds 22.7 percent market share in Tampa Bay, with $15.3 billion in deposits and 172 offices as of June 30, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Isn't that ILLEGAL?
I hope this bank gets driven UNDER because of bad illegal risks.
also:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783957/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783943/posts
So Jane Smith and John Doe have to show a social security card but Jose does not.
No Visa needed for a Visa.
They provide a service. I'm thinking of how to take advantage of it. Could Bank America help me establish a second identity, just in case my future circumstances might require it? Can I just walk in and open an account under any name I please, or as a regular-looking white American, would I be unable to?
No credit?
Bad credit?
No papers?
You don't need no steenkeen papers at Banko NorteAmericano
And yes we hable the espanol.
You don't need a green card, to get a gold card.
Hide money from income tax?
Notice how it gets one thinking in the WRONG direction ... .
Very good. Patent that for a bumper sticker.
It's out there in the public domain.
Anyone can make em now.
I plan on opening account with no social security number as an 'undocumented Viking'.
Watch me raise heck when they give me crap because they don't believe me.
I think we should all do it and insist on them opening us an account.
That was my thought, too - inumdate them with Americans demanding to open acconts with no SS number and sue the crap out of them for civil rights and equal protection violations when they refuse.
Works for me. I would love to own a piece of BofA. ;)
I find the appreciation of freedom is disappearing on Free Republic in the urge to bash immigrants.
First of if we are a free people then our business private contracts with banks are not the jurisdiction of the government.
If I do not wish to give my SS # to a bank since it was designated for one purpose and not a personal identity number, then I should be allowed to open an account with a bank without providing this info.
It has really annoyed me for years that I had to give my social security # to a bank to open an account. I understand they have to have identity procedures like asking for a drivers license and proof or residence which could be a phone or utility bill.
I think if Bank of America wants to pursue a business opportunity with illegals then that is their business. If they want to take the risk or charge high interest or require a cash deposit to establish credit, then fine.
I personally like the idea that I can have a private account without the government knowing about it
Look at Venezuela, the smarts one are leaving but they cannot get their money out so they have to give up their private property to a a dictatorial tyranny.
That can happen her in the US. Without the ability to keep our finances and guns private we are at the mercy of our government.
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