Pittsburgh area bank policies & rude tellers (Penn: foreclosures, loans)

[Sealtite]

Maybe someone here can shed some light on this for me, as I've always wondered about it. When I lived in western Pennsylvania, I found dealing with banks (both my bank and others) to be absolutely miserable. I've banked at several local banks in the area over the years. Being a contractor, I would sometimes cash checks at my customer's banks (where I wasn't a customer myself) if it was convenient. I did this a lot when I was much younger, however in later years I usually just deposited the checks in my account or cashed them at my bank. I still did it from time to time up until a year or two ago though.

I found it to be increasingly difficult in recent years to get a personal check cashed at a bank where I wasn't a customer. On a few occasions, the tellers were incredibly rude, and even threatened to confiscate the checks even though I had several forms of valid ID! I've worked in central PA, MD, VA, etc....and I've never encountered this level of suspicion/rudeness anywhere! Hell, I only used to bank at a certain branch of the bank I belonged to, because tellers at other branches were so rotten. When I first started banking there, I actually had to complain to the corporate office because a manager at one of the branches refused to deposit a check because she "couldn't see how I could make that much money at what I do". LOL, it was a check for $6500, and I'm a contractor. Big deal. The corporate office's response was to "avoid" that branch, and develop a "relationship" with another branch, so they'd "know me" after a few months. That's exactly what I did.....and it worked out fine after that. Thing is, I'd find myself often driving WAY out of my way to do business with that "special" branch, which is why sometimes I resorted to just cashing some of the smaller checks I'd receive at the respective banks they were drawn on....As I stated before, this often was a royal pain in the ass.

This kind of thing has never happened anywhere else I've ever worked. You go into the bank where the check's drawn on, give them your ID, stamp your thumb print on the check (maybe), and sometimes you pay a small fee (maybe $3) before they give you your money. Why then....is it so different in western PA? I've always wondered about this.....

[Hopes]

I've always found it to be annoying that local banks will not cash their own checks if you don't have an account with them. It has been that way for decades. I suspect it's simply a policy to compete for accounts, hoping a customer will open an account simply to make it easier to cash a check. Check clear so quickly these days, it's hardly logical to continue the practice. Glad to hear it's not the norm across the nation.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

I've only ever had great experiences at my banks, but I've never tried to go to a bank I don't have an account with for service (not counting opening accounts of course) so it may be different.

I'd really like to see you post a positive thread sometime.

[greg42]

Banks suck. Everywhere.

Choosing a bank is a game of finding the least evil.

It got increasingly difficult to cash checks because the problem of fake checks became increasingly common.

If the check was made out to a business name, that is an added issue, even if your own name is part of it. (i.e. you are Bob Sealtite and you go in with your check made out to Sealtite Remodeling) My dad ran into this a couple times. He is not in Pittsburgh. There is either a somewhat common bank policy with these or a government regulation regarding reporting this.

So I'm reading a few hassles (probably because of the increasing fake checks) when you are not a customer and one extra-crappy bank who refused to deal with their crappy branch management when you are not a customer. And yet somehow this is supposed to be an epidemic in western PA. Right.

Banks suck everywhere. Did I mention that?

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I've always found it to be annoying that local banks will not cash their own checks if you don't have an account with them. It has been that way for decades.

This generalization is not true. I obviously haven't checked all banks but several will cash their own checks to non-customers (after checking the balance, typically) and have done so for the 20 years I've been here.

PS Banks suck.

[Craziaskowboi]

Yeah, I'm really getting sick and tired of people either a) using one bad experience in Pennsylvania to condemn the entire state, or b) assuming that because somebody first had a certain kind of negative experience in Pennsylvania, that such a negative experience is exclusive to the state. I have enough basis for comparison to know that virtually all the negative experiences people complain about as being exclusive to Pennsylvania (or Pittsburgh) have happened elsewhere.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by greg42

Banks suck. Everywhere.

/thread

Seriously, people running banks themselves (not necessarily the face-to-face employees) have such disdain for the general populace. There is zero compassion as we have seen a zillion times for foreclosures, predatory loans, worthless interest rates, etc.

They don't trust us, they don't like us, and they run our country. Once you reach that level of power you can treat people as sh*tty as you want from the top to the bottom.

[gg]

If you were making their hourly wage, you would be miserable as well. Only the top brass at banks make any money, not people that work there. Look at the top execs pay at any bank. One sad industry. Who pays for their style? Everyone.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Yeah, I'm really getting sick and tired of people either a) using one bad experience in Pennsylvania to condemn the entire state, or b) assuming that because somebody first had a certain kind of negative experience in Pennsylvania, that such a negative experience is exclusive to the state. I have enough basis for comparison to know that virtually all the negative experiences people complain about as being exclusive to Pennsylvania (or Pittsburgh) have happened elsewhere.

That's Sealtite for you.

[youngabe]

I've banked with National City / PNC all of my life for personal and for business reasons. I can safely say, I've never really had a bad experience. The tellers are usually pleasant and once you do get to know a branch's staff well, it really becomes a nice, personal experience.

The only thing I will say, I did witness a teller question a guy depositing a check about how he acquired the check. The guy was playing along and saying what he did for work, etc, but I found it to be completely bizarre that he was being questioned the way he was. If a teller was questioning me, I honestly would have been offended and took the matter further. His appearance / behavior was not one that would draw any unnecessary question either. This was with PNC.

A friend of mine and her entire family pulled out of Citizens Bank for a similar occurrence. She was depositing a series of large checks that were inheritance checks. The bank tellers were basically scrutinizing where these checks came from. So, instead, she pulled it all out and went to PNC.