Minority Customers Being Harassed and Discriminated at Bank Of America.
I Opened (3) accounts with Bank Of America on 10/15. On
On July 30, I received a notice from the Bank indicating that my account was inactive: Money Market Savings and Checking Account. I called the 800-299-2265, to confirm the notice I had received. I was told that I should go into the bank and check on this. I went to the bank immediately. I told them that I wanted to close out my account and withdraw my monies due to the fact that I had received a letter telling me it was inactive.
The manager attempted to tell me that it was a only a letter telling me that I haven't had any activity on the account. When I asked her again to close out my account she indicated that she couldn't, that it would take 3 days for her to bring my account active again. When I suggested that I was not leaving until I received my funds, she then proceeded to have (2) cashier's checks drawn up. When I asked for cash withdrawals I told there were not enough funds available to give me cash. So I told her the Cashier's checks would be fine.
I also mentioned to her that I would be back on or after the 8/12/03 to withdraw my CD funds after maturity. On 8/13/03 I went to the bank at was given another cashier's check for the CD funds. On 8/14/03, I went to the location Lookout and Jupiter to cash the funds and was told that I did not have enough funds to cash them.
Also I was told that I would need to go back to the Murphy location where they were initially issued to have them write the location on one of the checks. I then returned to the Murphy location and provided the information to them and attempted to cash the checks and again was told funds weren't available in that amount to cash the checks. Please note. The total of the funds were less than $20k.
I then asked with they would contact the location at Park and 75 to determine if they had the funds before driving to that location. When I arrived at the Park & 75 location, the manager at the bank had be informed that I was coming and along with the amount that was to be cashed. When I stepped up to the teller, I was asked to imprint my right thumb on the cashier's checks from their bank made out to me. I reiterated that the funds were a result of me closing my accounts at their bank.
I was asked to provide them with 2 forms of id's. After which, the teller took the checks over to the manager for approval and after waiting for 20 minutes he returned to apologize for the long wait but indicated that it was policy that they check to see if the money that I had deposited over 2 years ago was from Money Laundering or If I was A Drug Dealer. When I heard this I was blown away. He mentioned that there was a Patriots Law from the Government which stated they had to do this.
I really could not understand why I was having to go thru this treatment when I had allowed them to used my money in which I opened accounts with business checks over some two years ago and because I was closing out my accounts and trying to cash the cashier's checks that their bank had given me, why I was been harassed and discriminated against. As I asked the teller if they did this with everyone he just said usually. I really didn't believe what had just happened. He then asked what was my occupation. I asked how would them cashing the cashier's them if I was a Drug Dealer or not, he couldn't answer the question.
It is very obvious to me that Minorities (Blacks in General) are not allowed to have large sums of money unless were Drug Dealers. As I told the young man that I was truly insulted and felt that I was being discriminated against. I also mentioned I didn't believe every customer was treated with the same disrespect. I again mentioned to him that this type of treatment was the main reason that I was closing my accounts and did not wish to ever do business with them again. (I hope that those of you who read this, and consider how you are being treated in some of these businesses, and make a concerted effort not to do business and certainly not deposit your dollars with businesses like these).
Please spread the word and exercise your rights to choose where and who you would like to do business. And by all means, please do not continue to do business with banks like "Bank Of America".
Renetta
Richardson, Texas
U.S.A.
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