STATE OF AFFAIRS

[brnidokiegurl 0]

STATE OF AFFAIRS

A conversation between a Customer and Bank of America (true story)

Bank:

This is the Bank of America, can I help you ?

Customer :

Yes, I want to cancel my account. I don't want to do business with you any longer.

Bank :

Why?

Customer :

You're giving credit to illegal immigrants and I don't think it's right. I'm taking my business elsewhere.

Bank :

Well, Mr. (Customer), we don't want to see you do that, but we can't stop you. I'll help you close the account. What is your account number?

Customer:

(gives account number)

Bank :

For security purposes and for your protection, can you please give me the last four digits of your social security number?

Customer:

No.

Bank:

Mr. (Customer), I need to verify your information, but in order to help you, I'll need verification of who you are.

Customer :

Why should I give you my social security number? The reason I'm closing my account is that your bank is issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants who don't have social security numbers. You are targeting that audience and want their business. Let's say I'm an illegal immigrant and you've given me a credit card. I have a question about it and call for assistance. You wouldn't be asking me for a Social Security number, would you?

Bank :

No sir, I wouldn't.

Customer :

Why not?

Bank:

Because you would have pressed '2' to speak in Spanish. We don't ask for that information when calling in on the Spanish line.

CHECK THIS OUT ON SNOPES! IT'S TRUE!

http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/bankofamerica.asp

[GaryC 7]

I thought that part of the Patriot Act was that banks had to verify all people opening accounts? How do they get around that?

[brnidokiegurl 0]

i know earlier i ask about putting ahmeds and my name on some kind of account and was told no, not until he is here but i know you can add to credit cards no problem.....same difference he wouldnt have social security and also same bank....

[Zee Bee 61]

Wow

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

I thought that part of the Patriot Act was that banks had to verify all people opening accounts? How do they get around that?

i don't know. but maybe they have a password setup. Really isn't too hard. SS# is common enough to be used as the id. I do not understand this customer's beef with stating the last 4 digits of his #. It isn't like the bank does not have his SS#. He is just p.o.ed and does not wish to be cooperative.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Ban Hammer 13,625]

so if you speak to them in spanish, you don't need to provide information that when compromised, can be used to commit identity fraud. interesting.........

[Caladan 19]

I thought that part of the Patriot Act was that banks had to verify all people opening accounts? How do they get around that?

We went through Bank of America and they asked to see C.'s K-1/I-94. Since it's a non-immigrant visa, they didn't expect him to have a social security number at the time. They have to verify your identity, but plenty of people need bank accounts who aren't eligible for social security numbers or are eligible but don't have them yet. (Foreign businessmen and tourists, new workers on an H1-B whose cards are still processing, wives of Chinese graduate students, C. before his SSN processed.) They can accept an ITIN, too, since the purpose of having the social security number is ostensibly for tax purposes.

Getting a credit card is very hard without a social security number unless you get a secured card. Personally, I'd rather have secured cards available and the ability to get a bank account without a social rather than create a greater incentive for ID theft (or having lots of people keeping cash under their beds.)

[brnidokiegurl 0]

I thought that part of the Patriot Act was that banks had to verify all people opening accounts? How do they get around that?

i don't know. but maybe they have a password setup. Really isn't too hard. SS# is common enough to be used as the id. I do not understand this customer's beef with stating the last 4 digits of his #. It isn't like the bank does not have his SS#. He is just p.o.ed and does not wish to be cooperative.

Daniel

:energetic:

think u missed the point of having a ss # vs not having ss #

[Caladan 19]

And I would point out that the original post isn't verified by Snopes, just the fact that you can get a credit card with a $99 deposit and no social security number. If the Spanish line doesn't ask for social security numbers but asks for ITINs or other proof of ID, it's not a huge risk for identity theft.

(I mean, no need to steal the ID if they don't expect you to have it.)

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

I thought that part of the Patriot Act was that banks had to verify all people opening accounts? How do they get around that?

i don't know. but maybe they have a password setup. Really isn't too hard. SS# is common enough to be used as the id. I do not understand this customer's beef with stating the last 4 digits of his #. It isn't like the bank does not have his SS#. He is just p.o.ed and does not wish to be cooperative.

Daniel

:energetic:

think u missed the point of having a ss # vs not having ss #

no. they guy did not want to cooperate with the bank in the process of shutting his account by refusing to give his ss#. He made his mind up to drop BofA due to his reasoning about the bank's business policy. ok, fair enough. Call (which he did) and provide the asked for info(which he refused to do) and be done with it (don't know the conclusio of this story).

What point did I miss?

Daniel

:energetic:

[TracyTN 237]

I have no problems with BOA (or banks in general) wanting an SSN.

Trying to add hubby to my Regions bank account, however, was a lesson in futility. Despite having an SSN, and a valid passport/I 94 and once used K1 visa inside of it, they rejected our attempt to add him to my EXISTING account - requiring us to fill out form W8 BEN. When the geniuses told me that, I looked up that form - it was about withholding alien's income at a 30% rate (????). I enquired how that is relevant to adding him to my account - their answer was basically 'because'.

They enjoy making legal aliens feel like criminals. Opposite side of the same coin, I suppose, but I chose to take my business elsewhere. Wankers.

Avoid Regions Bank (or Amsouth Bank in the south) like the plague!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pedroh 21]

ayy la tristeza

how does this affect us.. nada.. ayyy los ilegales..

Edited September 10, 2007 by pedroh