Complaint Review: Wells Fargo Bank - Tucson Arizona

I used my drivers license and my pistol permit, they got awfully nice suddenly.

The Nameless - fascinating!

yet?

If paper is poverty and not money itself...how come those who have an abundance of it do not seem to be living in poverty?

Granted, if the feds keep printing it out it loses value... but what does that have to do with this report? Whether it is in a check, or cash..it is still worth the same. That is providing the check is good, and paper money still has worth.

From what I understand Jefferson was quite wealthy..."born with a silver spoon in his mouth" as they say. Not much of an experience with poverty I would imagine.

Sorry, but having worked for various different financial institutions something is really missing in your story. As with EVERY single bank, unless you have two VALID forms of ID the bank is not able to authenticate you because you are a NON customer(if you were a customer, this information would be on file and we could ask you "KEY" questions) therefor protecting our customer. I know everyone simply thinks this is a "conspiracy" theory but in today's world it is VERY easy to fake a driver's license, and in all honesty why would we trust YOU? How do we know that you didn't steal the customer's checks? If you did have two forms of id, they could have indeed called the customer to verify the issuance of the check but you probably raised a huge stink and the more stink you raise the less we are willing to do for you. Try being reasonable and nice, it will get you FAR in banking I promise!

not money itself." - Thomas Jefferson

 if you don't wish to deposit it...just abide by the policy? At the risk of agonizing and tormenting the OP..either have the person make the check out to "cash"..it will be easier to cash it then...or, go back to the bank with the forms of ID they require and "ACCEPT"..which is two forms..
 
..drivers license, social security card, state ID card, or passport. They will also take a thumbprint from you.

Perhaps a check is a form of a promissory note, but if it is made out to an individual you and everyone else must show these two forms of ID to cash it at the bank. I am sorry if anyone takes the truth and facts as agonizing and tormenting. Don't shoot the messenger.

I know first hand that many banks do use tactics and schemes to rip off customers..but when they have a policy that actually protects customers, it is one of the few times I will defend them. Now on the other hand if you did have the proper and required two forms of ID that they "ACCEPT", and they still refused to cash it without just cause, the issue would certainly warrant investigation.

I do not write checks out for the VERY reason that I believe they are too easy for anyone to cash and contain too much information on them. I would not prefer to be paid by check for the reason it may not be good. If I have no choice but to take a check I deposit it into my bank account (but this is because the banks usually charge a fee to cash them, I have the proper forms of ID).

And I ONLY will take a check from a person I know personally so if it is bad I know who to go after. The bank is certainly not going to help if I deposit a bad check that even though it may "clear", can still bounce later on, hence wiping me out and potentially leading to bank fees.

Sorry for the "torment" if you feel that is what I am doing. I think my replies are reasonable and suggestions are sound.

..even if it was true that I respond to almost "every single" report on ROR..how would Ben Wah know this unless he was reading almost every single report himself?

I guess someone needs to find a job. Too much free time it appears.

He called me a d****ebag for some reason. And he used the fact that I typed "except" in place of "accept" as a key point to discredit me personally.

Next he implies I have an interest in homosexuality. What next? Maybe I am a racist? Why not throw that in too? The race card? Don't leave that one alone.

How about we define "Ben Wah" and use it in a sentence? (I apologize in advance if anyone is offended, it is not my name, and not my definition)

Ben Wah definition: Any number of balls, usually of metal and a little smaller than a ping-pong ball, inserted either in the vagina or, especially in gay erotica, in the rectum, and then pulled out slowly, producing for many people an intense sensation of pleasure.

Ben Wah: used in a sentence:The pull-string broke of the ben wah balls, so he wasn't able to extricate them from his as$.

As far as "Ben's" definition of d****ebag..it is simply his personal opinion of me..for some reason. He has a right to that opinion. Has he demonstrated that I have an overinflated sense of self worth? Has he demonstrated that I have a low level of intelligence..which BTW he spelled wrong in his reply (try spell check next time Einstein).

Has he demonstrated that I am actually unemployed? Has he demonstrated that I agonize and torture anyone? Has he demonstrated that I respond to almost every single report on ROR?

What he has demonstrated, is that in a feeble attempt to discredit me..he has resorted to name calling and unfounded personal insults.

Yes, d****ebag indeed...or Ben Wah..either way it probably smells the same.

The more I read this report and the updates the more I think that there are things going on that don't quite add up.

Other posts have pretty much gone over the ID "issue" the OP seems to be having, as well as other options they could do.  But in looking at all of this it really does make you wonder what type of business that they are running.

It appears that the OP deals in cash only, as this was a "convenience" for the customer to take a check.  But then why wasn't the check written to the business name but the OP personally?

They don't want to deposit the check in their account because it may incurr fees if it was bad.  Well is that the "real" reason, or is it as was mentioned that they don't want a "paper trail".  This brings up the biggest question.  They have stated that they have already "lost $100"...Why?

Unless the OP is afraid of something why don't they just go back to their customer and request that they give them $100 cash at their convinience?  I am sure that the customer would be more than willing to try and make it right.  Because after all it wasn't the OP's fault that the bank didn't cash the check.  Also, what would have happened if the check was no good and they didn't have the money when he tried to cash it?  Would the OP have gone after the customer for the $100?  If not then why not?

'Google' this- AMERICA: FREEDOM TO FASCISM, and watch that documentary on the web in its entirety.

You can offer any document in your wallet that has your name on it as ID but if it's not on the approved list of the bank then it doesn't work as ID. Your Costco card, voter registration, etc that you wanted to use are not acceptable by Wells Fargo.

As far as possible fees, you mentioned that you were concerned that if you deposited the check into your account that it would be returned by Wells Fargo causing you a returned check fee. My comment was to indicate that if this happened you could and should recover this fee amount from the person who wrote the check. Also, when you deposit it through your account, there's no ID check. It's all done with machines. The only reasons the check would be returned at that point would be lack of funds or a stop payment placed by the check writer. If there had been lack of funds the bank woud have just told you that they couldn't cash the check and referred you to the maker. Instead they were concerned with the ID you were offering. So by putting this through your bank you should have no problem.

As far as not accepting Wells Fargo checks any more that's certainly your right. But remember that if your business does this that someone turned down may post a report here about that very action causing anyone with a Wells Fargo account to decide not to buy from you. Every action has an opposite and equal reaction. Just like the action of questioning your ID has caused you not to accept their checks.

I'm not going to question your account of what happened at Wells Fargo, but I do have a suggestion on how to at least get your $100.   If I were the customer that paid you by check and you called me to say my check was not being honored at the bank, I would make it right by you in drawing the $100 out and exchanging that for the check.  Then I would change banks for inconveniencing and embarrassing me.

If this customer is above board, they wont take offense if you call and let her know you could not cash the check and if she would kindly exchange it for cash.

I hope this helps, Betty

..you don't have to tell me about Wells Fargo or Wachovia. I found this site when Wachovia ripped me off. I googled Wachovia rip off to see if anyone else was subjected to the same..and found virtually endless reports. I lodged one here..and the rest is history.

I guess my point is really..that there are people who are truly victims of bank scams, deception and rip offs. But generally, the tellers are just employees that do as instructed. The only pleasant experiences I had with Wachovia (and Wells once the takeover)..was that the tellers were extremely friendly, I do not hold them accountable for the banks mistakes, deceptions and schemes.

However, I do believe the bank must have a policy regarding what forms if ID are required to cash a check..do you think if you had these forms of ID the bank still would have not cashed it? Do you think the check would clear if you deposited it into your account? If so..how were they ripping you off? You were inconvenienced yes..but that is all I can decipher from any of this report.

I am not trying to be the voice of reason on this website..but just trying to be reasonable on the reports I chose to respond to..I know many do not understand what that means and to them I say..boola boola.

I am actually Al's Towing...and I also work for PayPal and eBay ..and anywhere anyone thinks I work. As long as someone believes it and accuses me of it on this website..it must be true..right?

I called you a d****ebag because you are a d****ebag.

d****ebag definition: An individual who has an over-inflated sense of self worth, compounded by a low level of intellegence. A vexatious a*****e that most people wish were killed with a Mortal Kombat fatality.

d****ebag(s) used in a sentence: Ronny G. posts vexatious responses to almost every single report on ROR. He then antagonizes and torments the OPs because he is unemployed and has a very small member. What a d****ebag.

In addition, it appears that he has an interest in homosexuality.

Please see Ripoff Report #622038 for more information.

....What really is ironic...is someone who goes by the name of Ben Wah..to call me a d****ebag because I made a grammatical gaffe regarding ONE word.

Normally I can tolerate someone who wishes to be named after metal balls that are vaginally inserted (anally if gay), but if I am the one who this Ben Wah believes "needs" to be held to a higher standard on a website such as this????.. I digress.

Its kind of ironic that a d****ebag know-it-all like Ronny G. is challenged by the English language. As I read the posting, I was becoming quite irritated over the "except" vs "accept" grammatical gaffe as well.

Normally, I can be tolerant to misspellings and improper grammar. But since Ronny G. is a resident d****ebag troll who responds contrarily to almost every post, he needs to be held to a much higher standard.

I think its time for Ronny G., and a few others to find a job, and retire from ROR.

Now I am aware that the real story is at least one of the following:

In response to the replies, I will provide further information and clarification.

1. To "coast", I have already lost $100 because Wells Fargo refuses to honor its customer's check.  As I have already mentioned, my financial institution charges ME for returned checks. If the maker's institution will NOT honor the check then it boggles the imagination that depositing it into my account at my institution will result in anything other than an additional expense TO ME!.  Again, checks are promissory notes that one graciously accepts from the maker.   If the maker's institution will not honor the check then the promissory note is worthless.  And yes I could sue the maker of the check, if necessary to recover the costs.  However, it is not good customer service (the essence of this concern) to sue customers. In addition, court costs are usually not recoverable and would far outweigh the additional fee my financial institution would assess against me for a check that Wells Fargo would not honor.

2. To "Ronny g",  apparently you did not read my previous response carefully enough.  In item #5  I clearly indicated that not only did I provide my picture government issued driver's license as identification but I also used my picture Costco card and my Voter's Registration card. So this was three IDs.  So again, it was not about them not really knowing it was me, to whom the promissory note (check) was written. (Remember it clearly states on the check "Pay to the Order Of")  It was more about them NOT wanting to release the CASH.  

Furthermore, one does not "except" a check unless he is excluding it.  One "accepts" a check if he is receiving it willingly.  Whereas I did "accept" this check drawn on Wells Fargo, I will no longer do so with future promissory notes (checks). As such, I will now institute a policy of "excepting" the checks drawn on Wells Fargo as Wells Fargo DOES NOT HONOR THEM!.

You are welcome to take the hint or not, since this situation is happening to me, then it will very likely happen to you very soon as North Hollywood has branches of Wells Fargo, too.  Perhaps you need to be stung yourself before you fully comprehend what this concern is about. Many who are inexperienced claim they understand something when in reality they admit later, upon gaining the experience, they they did not initially fully understand the ramifications of a seemingly worthless concern which turned out the be fully worthy.

3.To "Striderq", I have not changed my appearance.  There is no way that with my picture ID's that one would not know it was me unless there is something cognitively wrong with the person who lacks the ability to recognize faces from pictures.  (And this is a medical condition.). If I am not going to get the $100 from the maker of the check, what makes you think I will get the fees that will be assessed against me when Wells Fargo fails to honor the check?  Let's have some common sense here.  In addition, the purpose of various items one has with his name and address on them are indications of one's identity.  To cavalierly indicate that various items which clearly identify someone are "unacceptable" is nonsense.  Again, the government issued state issued picture driver's license with all kinds of security features built into it since 9/11 should have been sufficient as the PRIMARY identification source.  The fact that I had other identification items should have been additional indicators that I am who I say I am.  Otherwise, NO identification is adequate as there is no fool proof method of actually certifying someone.  Again, common sense needs to prevail.  

4.  And yes there is much fraud going on.  The banks are at the top of the list. If there is so much "fraud" going on with the use of checks then perhaps they should be eliminated altogether and we should return to a cash based society.  This way the convenience offered to people to write checks can be eliminated, banks will not engage in denying rightfully executed promissory notes (checks) and this kind of thing will be also eliminated.  Banks will then not have to deal with the "fraud" of suspect checks since they will no longer exist. However, if we as a society value the convenience offered by the use of checks then it should be a relatively easy matter to negotiate them and the financial institution should honor them.  Again, in my situation they KNEW who I was.  So it was NOT a matter of them not being able to properly identify me; it was a matter of them NOT wanting to release the cash. Right now checks are Orwellian instruments that have no true value notwithstanding any sophistry one may try to use to the contrary.  

Remember, the bank was NOT doing me the favor.  The bank was doing their CUSTOMER the favor as it provided her the means to conveniently "pay" me WITHOUT having to do a special run to the bank for cash.  In the future this convenience will no longer exist and SHE will now have to inconvenience herself to become properly liquid to pay me and others.  So by refusing to honor the check, yes they denied me the $100 but they also denied future acceptance of Wells Fargo based checks, too.  Those who are smart will take the warning.  This high handedness by Wells Fargo is the path towards the elimination of conveniences.  Remember, checks are a convenience for the writer and NOT the recipient.  Extra effort by the recipient needs to be expended for the recipient to actually get paid.  It is up to the maker's financial institution to recognize this concern and ensure that the maker's checks will be accepted again in the future.  Wells Fargo failed on this account.

5.  There is no such thing as "no choice".  In EVERY situation there is ALWAYS a choice.  Now, an alternative may be unpalatable and may be considered unviable but it is still an element in the choice making process.  It has been my experience that usually people up to no good use the phrase "no choice".

Please consider writing a report and post on this government watchdog site:

http://www.ftc.gov/reports/index.shtm

not about Wells Fargo honoring a check drawn on an account but about them not accepting your identification. Have you lost weight, dyed your hair or made some other change from your driver's license photo? The other items you mentioned are not acceptable forms of identification. Each bank has it's authorized list of what can and can not be accepted as ID. 

My suggestion would be to deposit it into your account. If the check is returned and causes you any fees you can collect them from the check writer when they pay you for the check. 

..plain and simple. If the bank requires two specific forms of picture ID..it is their policy and most likely put in place as a security measure..not a way to keep the money. I would imagine they do not make exceptions since if they do for one person, they would have to for everyone.

It is your right not to except checks from this or any bank..personally I cringe at the site of a check..but I think you are making too much of this. There are a heck of a lot of reasons to lodge reports here..even against the banks but this one is not really worthy. You lost nothing but time..you were not subjected to any fraud or ripped off.

Perhaps you don't like or agree to this policy, but the employees of the bank have no choice. If the check was stolen and they did not use the ID required of them, their jobs can be put on the line..do you think the tellers want to be held accountable? You are looking for some reason other then the facts..it is not that they didn't believe it was you on the license..it was that the license and what other form of ID they need was not enough to ALLOW anyone at the bank to cash the check.

The real bottom line reason for the whole issue is the fact that there is so much fraud going on. When the banks conduct fraud, regulations are put on them which effects everyone. When people conduct fraud on the bank..policies are put in place that effect us all. No one is "special" or immune.

Deposit the check into your checking account.

In response for further information here is the following.

1. The check was made payable to me personally.

2. I was in the area of Wells Fargo Bank.  I judged that since it was drawn on this institution that they would honor the check.  INCORRECT ASSUMPTION.

3. My institution charges me for returned checks.  If the maker's institution will NOT honor the check upon my personal presentation to it then it boggles the imagination that it will honor the check under other circumstances.  Remember the check clearly states "Pay to the Order of".

4. When I finally reached the maker of the check by telephone, the bank officers were not interested.  If security of the maker's account was TRULY the issue they would have been willing to speak with her.  In addition, if they did not want to use my phone they could have called her using THEIR phone and their record of contact for her telephone numbers.

5. The reason they gave me that they did not believe that I was the person on the driver's license is that they wanted to have TWO pieces of identification.  They refused the picture ID from Costco.  They refused the Voter's registration.  They refused my business card.  If a driver's license is adequate identification for law enforcement, for TSA and other forms of business then the driver's license, which has all kinds of security features built into its especially since 9/11 and should be adequate by itself.

6. The amount of the check was $100.

"Ronny g" from North Hollywood is correct, if one accepts a check one also accepts risk and inconvenience.  Since Wells Fargo will NOT honor its customer's checks I will solve this problem by no longer accepting them.  Other financial institutions honor their customer's checks and fully comprehend the ability of the government issued driver's license to provide positive evidence of identification as is possible.  Wells Fargo did not want to release the cash, plain and simple.

I trust this additional information will also satisfy "Flynrider" from Phoenix, Arizona.  And "Flynrider" is correct, checks have been nothing but worthless sheets of paper.  They are promissory notes we in this society have allowed to exist to facilitate more convenient payment methods for the payor.  The payee accepts this promissory note as a gracious convenience to the payor.  However, if the payor's financial institution will not honor the maker's wishes then checks will no longer be a convenience available for payment.  True assets are precious metals, food and water.   We are now seeing the breakdown of the fiat conveniences.

Was the check made out to your business name or you personally? 

If it was made out to your business name what good is your personal ID going to do.  That is unless your Business name is the same as your real name.

If it was written out to you personally, then why are you trying to cash it as part of your business?

...but sometimes we are paid by check so we have to deal with the risks..as well as inconvenience. In this case the bank was protecting itself and it's customer..which should actually be commended.

The best thing to do with a check (assuming you KNOW 100% positive the check is from a reliable source), is to simply deposit it into your bank. If you have any doubts as to the checks authenticity, verify it yourself by calling the bank the check was issued from. My bank (Chase) will clear deposited 3rd party out of town checks within 24 hours.

Checks IMO are a dangerous form of payment..but since they still exist..if we choose to except them we need to deal with the risk and inconvenience.

The problem with a check is that the BANK does not look at it as a worthless piece of paper. It represents money. Now I can not explain why the bank did not except your forms of ID as valid ID..but the problem with checks is anyone who finds one or steals one..has the potential to cash it and once it is cashed...the money is GONE forever. The first line of defense is the bank. If everyone was honest this would not be a problem..but is everyone honest? The question these days should actually be is ANYONE honest?

  Why do I get the feeling that there's more to this story?   They must have given you a reason that they believed you were not the person on your drivers license.

"Checks are now nothing by worthless sheets of paper."

  Checks have always been nothing but worthless sheets of paper.  

It sounds like they were trying to protect the account holder from possible fraud.

There is one thing that don't make sense. If you have a business why are you trying to cash it in person. Why not just deposit it in your business account? This right there could be enough for them to suspect fraud. Also out of curiosity how much was the check for? That is are we talking $10 or $10,000.