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That's not true, they maintain them as a backup in case you corner a customer service representative on the phone and they are about to have to do what you aske

That's not true, they maintain them as a backup in case you corner a customer service representative on the phone and they are about to have to do what you asked. That's when they tell you you need to visit a branch.

madaxe_again 5y ago
Yeah, and then in the branch they call the customer service line, and hand you the phone.
- dstroot 5y ago
  OMG I've had that experience! It was ... weird.
  - datavirtue 5y ago
    Same here. It's not weird, it's abuse. The only time you get any service is when you are looking to saddle yourself with debt or they have to comply due to regulations.
    - lazide 5y ago
      Yup. I was so fed up with Bank of America’s crappy service I tried to close my account with them. It took 4 months to do so, and at least 8 hrs of back and forth between phone reps, online reps, and in person reps. First I was told to withdraw the remaining funds to get the balance to zero. Before I did that, I asked them if doing so would automatically close the account without incurring some kinds of fees? crickets Then I was promised when I got ahold of their specific account closing department that I would be sent a small cashiers check for the small balance I kept in there to avoid incurring fees. Never arrived. Then I kept getting calls for someone with a different name from the bank. I eventually figured out they were trying to call about this issue, but literally has a completely different name that made no sense. When I called them back anojt it to close the account again, I was told I needed to go to a branch. Well, all branches are closed due to Covid. Then I have to call again, well, there is a specific branch that is open - great! Too bad I couldn’t find it via the branch locator the first time. Go to that specific branch - closing an account requires an appointment. Me: Ok, when is the next appointment? Them: since you’re closing an account, you need a specific kind of rep. The soonest appointment is a week from now. Them: but you can close the account by withdrawing funds to zero Me: will that actually close the account without incurring some kind of negative balance due to fees? Them: looks nervous uh no Me: I see, it’s almost like you all are trying to get me to not actually close my account due to some incentive structure and tack on fees. I’m about this close from suing you in small claims court for not actually letting me close my account. Them: look at each other super nervously ehem, I can book that appointment for you. Me: ok And somehow, when I get home after this, I get a text that my account has actually been closed and the cashiers check gets in my hand through the mail before the actual appointment they scheduled me. It’s just adding bullshit process to provide friction to keep some metric up near as I can tell.
ethbr0 5y ago
Branches are equally powerless. See: Bank of America's policy on two-party "and" checks. I walk in, having had a checking account with them for decades: "Hi, I need to deposit a two-party check into my account here. This is the other party with me, and we're happy to show ID." Door greeter / agent: "Sure, I can do that for you." {Proceeds to verify my information and set up deposit on her tablet} "Hmm." {Walks over to her manager, discusses} Manager: "Hello. I'm sorry, we only allow two-party checks to be deposited into joint accounts that list both parties." Me: "I have the other party standing right here, with ID." Manager: "That's our policy. Even if I pushed it through, the central system would kick it back out." ... which is a policy they can have. But the annoyance to me, is that it's a policy they choose to have, rather than a policy they're required to have. Corrections welcome, but there's no law that mandates this handling of two-party "and" checks. It's just risk mitigation on BoA's part. Which, if a multi-decade relationship with your customer doesn't facilitate taking additional risk (over a <$1k check) in the interest of customer satisfaction... why would I do business with you? Needless to say, I closed my BoA accounts.
- mring33621 5y ago
  I have found that, as long as your name is on the check, they will allow you to deposit a two-party check via the BofA app.
  - dmoy 5y ago
    It's not supposed to, but it does go through sometimes Incidentally a BoA teller just told me yesterday that the phone all is not supposed to accept two party checks at all.
    - reaperducer 5y ago
      It's not supposed to, but it does go through sometimes Actually, it is supposed to. The 1990's-era legislation that made phone deposits possible shifted the liability and some other regulatory details a bit to make it possible. The verification and liability is less strict with an online deposit than an in-person deposit. At the time, it was a big news story. The rule change was originally intended to allow businesses to deposit checks from their offices with a device over a modem for speed and security. When it was in the news, people were up in arms because it shifted the liability for certain types of fraud onto the consumer, and away from the banks. Consumer advocates saw it as a big money-grab by the evil mustache-twirling bankers. The result is that now when you get something like a random unexpected electric company refund check in the mail, you can deposit it with your phone.

madaxe_again 5y ago

Yeah, and then in the branch they call the customer service line, and hand you the phone.

dstroot 5y ago
OMG I've had that experience! It was ... weird.
- datavirtue 5y ago
  Same here. It's not weird, it's abuse. The only time you get any service is when you are looking to saddle yourself with debt or they have to comply due to regulations.
  - lazide 5y ago
    Yup. I was so fed up with Bank of America’s crappy service I tried to close my account with them. It took 4 months to do so, and at least 8 hrs of back and forth between phone reps, online reps, and in person reps. First I was told to withdraw the remaining funds to get the balance to zero. Before I did that, I asked them if doing so would automatically close the account without incurring some kinds of fees? crickets Then I was promised when I got ahold of their specific account closing department that I would be sent a small cashiers check for the small balance I kept in there to avoid incurring fees. Never arrived. Then I kept getting calls for someone with a different name from the bank. I eventually figured out they were trying to call about this issue, but literally has a completely different name that made no sense. When I called them back anojt it to close the account again, I was told I needed to go to a branch. Well, all branches are closed due to Covid. Then I have to call again, well, there is a specific branch that is open - great! Too bad I couldn’t find it via the branch locator the first time. Go to that specific branch - closing an account requires an appointment. Me: Ok, when is the next appointment? Them: since you’re closing an account, you need a specific kind of rep. The soonest appointment is a week from now. Them: but you can close the account by withdrawing funds to zero Me: will that actually close the account without incurring some kind of negative balance due to fees? Them: looks nervous uh no Me: I see, it’s almost like you all are trying to get me to not actually close my account due to some incentive structure and tack on fees. I’m about this close from suing you in small claims court for not actually letting me close my account. Them: look at each other super nervously ehem, I can book that appointment for you. Me: ok And somehow, when I get home after this, I get a text that my account has actually been closed and the cashiers check gets in my hand through the mail before the actual appointment they scheduled me. It’s just adding bullshit process to provide friction to keep some metric up near as I can tell.

ethbr0 5y ago

Branches are equally powerless. See: Bank of America's policy on two-party "and" checks. I walk in, having had a checking account with them for decades: "Hi, I need to deposit a two-party check into my account here. This is the other party with me, and we're happy to show ID." Door greeter / agent: "Sure, I can do that for you." {Proceeds to verify my information and set up deposit on her tablet} "Hmm." {Walks over to her manager, discusses} Manager: "Hello. I'm sorry, we only allow two-party checks to be deposited into joint accounts that list both parties." Me: "I have the other party standing right here, with ID." Manager: "That's our policy. Even if I pushed it through, the central system would kick it back out." ... which is a policy they can have. But the annoyance to me, is that it's a policy they choose to have, rather than a policy they're required to have. Corrections welcome, but there's no law that mandates this handling of two-party "and" checks. It's just risk mitigation on BoA's part. Which, if a multi-decade relationship with your customer doesn't facilitate taking additional risk (over a <$1k check) in the interest of customer satisfaction... why would I do business with you? Needless to say, I closed my BoA accounts.

mring33621 5y ago
I have found that, as long as your name is on the check, they will allow you to deposit a two-party check via the BofA app.
- dmoy 5y ago
  It's not supposed to, but it does go through sometimes Incidentally a BoA teller just told me yesterday that the phone all is not supposed to accept two party checks at all.
  - reaperducer 5y ago
    It's not supposed to, but it does go through sometimes Actually, it is supposed to. The 1990's-era legislation that made phone deposits possible shifted the liability and some other regulatory details a bit to make it possible. The verification and liability is less strict with an online deposit than an in-person deposit. At the time, it was a big news story. The rule change was originally intended to allow businesses to deposit checks from their offices with a device over a modem for speed and security. When it was in the news, people were up in arms because it shifted the liability for certain types of fraud onto the consumer, and away from the banks. Consumer advocates saw it as a big money-grab by the evil mustache-twirling bankers. The result is that now when you get something like a random unexpected electric company refund check in the mail, you can deposit it with your phone.