Aaaaargh!

This kind of stuff is pretty annoying!

I’m talking about banks that decide to make up arbitrary policies for seemingly no reason at all.

What’s up with that?!?!

Well, this person got tired of it, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Check out what happened!

Bank decides they won’t cash and then deposit my checks anymore.

“I’ve had the same bank for over 15 years and it’s worth noting that the two businesses my family has I manage hold accounts at this bank.

I basically work for myself and it’s a very seasonal job so at the start of the season after a mostly dormant winter, cash flow isn’t that great.

I usually hold a few of my paychecks in the business as things ramp up to help cover restocking after our slow winter. I cash out before payroll is due each quarter so as not to mess things up for accounting.

This means that when I do write myself a check during the slow months, it’s because I need it to cover something, usually the day of.

They have a system for all of this.

When I deposit a check, $100 of it goes into my account immediately and the rest goes in at midnight.

Now, I’ve learned in the past that they will pull any and all transactions they can prior to depositing the money and this has on more than one occasion caused me to be charged insufficient fund fees or transfer fees from my overdraft accounts.

It’s a bad practice, but I have found the workaround.

I would cash my checks and then deposit the cash and it all would go in immediately. Problem solved.

That was until two weeks ago when I went in to deposit my check. Filled out the deposit slip as depositing cash and waited in line for the next teller. I get called up by a teller I’ve never met and request to have my check cashed and then deposited.

I didn’t need the funds to go in immediately as we are out of the slow season, but I have gotten into the habit as I’m not a fan of their policy.

Huh?

I get told that they are no longer allowed to do it.

I’ve been told this before by new tellers and once they ask around, another teller that’s been there a while and knows me will usually give the go-ahead to do it. It is coming from one account held at their bank and going into another so they can see the funds are there.

Not anymore.

That’s when I learn they have decided to more strictly enforce a rule that up to this point, I had been allowed to work around. It sucks but, as I said, I didn’t need the money that day so I just deposited it.

This did not sit well with me. So I went home and did some research. Turns out, that my bank has two types of ATMs. Some that require an envelope for a cash deposit, some that take the cash directly.

The envelope free ATMs have the added bonus of being able to, if deposited before 6 pm, have the funds available immediately.

This was going to be interesting…

Cue malicious compliance.

I head in there this week to deposit another check. Fill out my deposit slip for a cash deposit and wait in line. When I get called up, it’s a teller that has been there for at least 5 years and I have a working relationship with.

I mention the new updated policy to verify it is true and she confirms apologetically. I then ask about their ATM outside and whether it requires an envelope or is envelope free.

Turns out it’s the latter.

I then ask what stops me from cashing my check inside the branch, and then walking outside to deposit the cash into the ATM so it can go be available immediately. She looks at me with a blank stare…

Hey o!

Teller: “Well nothing really.”

Me: “So I can cash this check inside, walk outside and deposit the cash into the ATM and will effectively be doing the same thing I have been doing for years just with extra steps.”

Teller: “Yes.”

Me: “I would like to cash this check please.”

She takes the check and starts the process. A few moments later she looks over at another teller that has been there just as long, if not longer, and asks, “Is this one of the instances I can use my better judgment?”

Other teller: “I think so.”

Teller: “We are going to say this is a grey area and just cash and deposit it like before.”

Me: “Then this should speed things up,” as I hand her the deposit slip I had filled out earlier for cash.

That was Monday and I still smile every time I think about it.”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This person had a lot to say.

Another individual chimed in.

This Reddit user shared their thoughts.

Another person spoke up.

And this individual weighed in.

Why do banks have to make up unnecessary rules like this?

If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.