Attention

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent our advertisers

Sunday, June 14, 2009

PNC Bank Policy


Joe,

Was wondering if anyone else has noticed that PNC bank has this new policy....if you have time and space can you post this?

I was attempting to cash my paycheck last week,which is drawn on PNC, when I was informed that the drive thru was for PNC customers ONLY. I have never seen this practice in place at any other bank and I was a little offended because my employer, who issued this check to me, is a rather large account holder and has been for many years.

When she asked me to come into the lobby, I informed her I would just go to my own bank. I usually do go to the bank where I have an account, but on this day was pressed for time and PNC was more convenient. I spoke to a teller and she informed me that it was a tactic they used to attempt to get people to sign up for an account. Needless to say,it had the opposite effect on me and turned me totally off to that bank.

MJ

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

All these high end banks are now doing this. I went to Bank of America and they wanted to charge me $6 to cash my check because I didn't have an account with them although the check was drawn on that bank. I went to my own bank also. And we say they are price gouging us at the gas pumps!!!!

Anonymous said...

M&T has the same policy. They have a sign at the drive thru that states "Drive thru for M&T account holders only".

I SEE U said...

well its no worse then BB&T and MMT charging $5.00 to cash a check that is drawn on there bank if you don't have and account.What A crock!!!

Orsonwells said...

I am an ex- customer as well after 17 years with F&M/ Peninsula because of their "new policies" on paycheck deposits for existing customers. It seems your account number and "for deposit only" as an endorsement is no longer valid. One MUST sign the back, even if depositing it in an ATM machine; which could be stolen. They held my monthly paycheck for two weeks in their bank 200+ miles away before I got it back in the mail.

Anonymous said...

Again, I have no idea why someone would direct such a comment to a blog and not take their complaint either directly to, or put it in the form of a letter and send it to someone in the bank's food chain where it might actually do some good. If the writer's intention was simply to vent, I suppose mission accomplished. If it was effect some type of consideration and change by the bank, a waste of time.

Anonymous said...

I believe it's now a requirement of one of the Homeland Security acts...

Anonymous said...

Bank of America has the same policy.

Anonymous said...

This practice in indeed in place at other banks around the area.

Anonymous said...

I know A LOT of banks are like that.
Bank of America on Tighlman Road is like that, must nationwide banks are like that. The mom and pop banks need new accounts so try to make anyone upset.

A bank that makes me really upset is Wachovia, they charge $5 to cash a check drawn on their bank if you don't have an account. It only takes $5 dollars to open a checking account. So I opened one, cashed my check, and closed the account. All the time and energy, but I'll be damn if I'm going to spend $5 to cash a Wachovia check at a Wachovia bank.

Anonymous said...

Guess you aren't that much of a high profile merchant if you don't check competing banks for their interest rates and policies. Most banks have this policy. Is there a rolls-eyes symbol on here?

Anonymous said...

9:31am This blog has more power and works faster then going up the ladder of corp. That is why everyone chooses to read this blog and to comment.

Anonymous said...

Farmers Bank of Willards is still the down home bank. No additional fees, no hidden costs and personable service. It is such a shame the bigger banks bought out so many of the home banks and in the trade off lost their service to the customer. In most cases, it is not the people, but the policy of the bank. M&T and BB&T have been the worst in my opinion, but seems the other larger banks are following their lead. I have been a customer of Farmers Bank of Willards for almost 35 years and will continue to be if I live another 35 years.

joealbero said...

Let me make something very clear here. It is NOT our intent to knock the Bank of Willards. We have simply exposed new policy.

This information is news worthy and while the Banks rely on customers like myself to house large sums of money and give back petty returns on our money, they, (meaning most Banks) have also chosen to make lending just about impossible.

Quite frankly, I have an extremely large amount of money in Municipal Tax Free Bonds. While they're very safe investments, the return on investment any more would be better off in a private safe than taking any more risks.

There are numerous Municipalities discussing bankruptcy. Fortunately my funds are in Delaware Municipalities, probably the most secure in the Country. However, the return on interest rates aren't determined by each State, therefore it too has become a rip off. I refuse to ever invest into the Stock Market again as long as I live. It's a joke and it's gambling. Some years you do great, most years you lose money, hence the 401K's most of you have been slammed with, especially those retired and on a fixed income and now they have next to nothing.

IMHO, Banks SUCK! They want you to store most of your money there, the Government wants to Bail Out the thieves and every day that passes you money becomes less valuable and secure.

The old Farmers had it right. Bury your money and keep it away from those you'll end up depending on. Think about that for a minute too. The place that holds your money, you're dependent on them. Is that stupid, or what! American's have become stupid and fools. Just because everyone else does it doesn't mean the smart ones should.

I'm cashing out soon and finding another place to put it. The people at the Bank of Willards are fine people, as are the people at many of the local Banks. However, times keep changing and the old Guard has retired and we're dealing withy a whole new group making decisions with our money. In fact, isn't the head of the Bank of Willards a former Lawyer. That';s one of the main reasons I have NEVER done business with them.

Anonymous said...

Wonder how much all those $5 fees add up to in free money for the bank. That is what many businesses (not just banking)are doing now-tacking on all these little fees that add up to free money for them.

The American citizen is becoming more and more powerless and has less and less money.

Anonymous said...

There is only one thing this is about.
Greedy People, if they cannot get your money one way they will get it another.
The down fall of america.
Greed.
Not a question anymore ,it is a reality.

Anonymous said...

Horrible bank that treats its employees poorly. Worst thing to ever happen to Peninsula Bank was to be bought out by PNC.

Just ask any of their former customers.

Anonymous said...

One of the reasons I switched to First Shore Federal. I still maintain my original free business account at PNC but I only keep $25 in it just to cost them money. I also ran into similar problems trying to cash checks EVEN though I had an account there. They would not cash a two party check (issued by Tyson Foods) for me issued to a customer of mine even though MY account at PNC had much more money in it then the check was for !! I took the check to First Shore Federal where I have a personal account and they cashed it with NO problem at all.

Chimera said...

Another thing I learned-NEVER use the debit feature on your bank card-opt for credit instead when asked.Why? Because if the merchant you are paying uses one bank and you use another,you may be subject to fees just for paying with your card and spending your own money.Using foreign ATM's is costly too,and should be avoided except for in emergencies.

Anonymous said...

My son has accounts with BOC and SECU, went to cash a check drawn on an account @ Bank of America @ Bank of America.

They charged him $6. This is why he is not yet an adult and his Mother babies him..LMAO!

Anonymous said...

The President of Farmers' Bank of Willards is a third generation appointment. Since my first account with them was opened in 1958, I have been exposed to all three.

Although Chris Davis (current president) is a lawyer, it has proven to be an asset to the bank. Saved legal fees and legal counsel from his experience have proven valuable. They are the real deal, and this bank is one that I still continue to do business with.

If you have any questions, want to know the goals, financial status or services provided, I have found that Chris will take/return your call, and in this day and age that speaks voulumes!

Orsonwells said...

Suntrust is not playing these games. They know their bread is buttered on the local side.

Anonymous said...

go to secu great bank!! never had a problem

Anonymous said...

Hebron Savings Bank, Bank of Delmarva, Farmers Bank of Willards - all three class institutions. Why anyone would choose PNC and other big banks that treat people like dirt is beyond me.

Unknown said...

If you have a check written by someone on a bank you dont belong to they should cash it with no fees plain and simple. As long as they have money to cover it. For them to charge a fee I think may be against the law...
Especially a payroll check.
Look into it.

Anonymous said...

I work for PNC Bank and the main reason for making non customers come into the lobby is a security reason. Most check fraud attempts happen through a drive thru window so if it is a customer, we would have had their account number in the machine, if it is a non account holder, by requiring them to come into the lobby, we are able to identify what they look like should the check be fraudulent.

Anonymous said...

Shore Bank is the BEST! No fees..great service!

Anonymous said...

anon 7:51 - Give me a break. You could ask them to produce a valid driver's license and make a copy of it, if needed.
Security my A@@!

Your post is one more of the reasons PNC is losing business, LIES!
My mother-in-law held her money in Peninsula Bank for MANY years and never had any problems. Ever since PNC took over, nothing BUT problems. They would not even accept her power of attorney paperwork to allow her son to manage her accounts even though he's been doing it with her for MANY years!
She has since moved all of her money out, Thank God!
She moved to Bank of Delmarva!

Anonymous said...

I took my paycheck to pnc bank and they where going to charge me $6 dollars to cash it.
I told them they where crazy it was written on there bank, still would not cash it.
So i took it back to my boss and told him what had happened. He took it to the bank and cashed it for me .
Im not sure what he had told them , maybe something like if you charg my employees for cashing there checks here, maybe ill take my money to another bank.
What a great boss i have, no more $6 charge.

Anonymous said...

ok to clear things up a little..... i work for PNC bank and yes drive thru is for account holders only you can also check out bank of America they have the same policy and yes we also have the $5.oo charge too for non-customers cashing their checks however it is up to the employer to have us charge you $5.00 not PNC. Also can i just add for any non customer especially when you come in to cash a check don't get pissed cause we asked for id. If by chance that check is bad the teller will be the one fired so if someone does cash your check without id they are taking a chance of losing their job. Just like everyone else at their jobs we always have rules and polices no i do not agree with them all but i do understand why we have them and its because of the world today. So please don't get mad at the tellers cause we are only doing our job.

Anonymous said...

PNC is rediculous

Anonymous said...

I work for PNC also. Yes they tell us lowly branch employees non-customers have to come in to cash checks for security reasons. Is that the truth? Probably not...but that's what they tell us tellers too. We have to follow policy or risk our jobs...not something we want to do in this economy. Does it suck? Yes. Does it suck more to be yelled at for something that isn't your fault than it does for a non-customer to park their car and walk 10 feet? Yes. I'm not saying the policy isn't flawed...I know it is. But seriously, the tellers aren't the ones making the rules.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting and I have had the same happen to me at Citizens Bank: $5. I got mad and left for my bank. The money isn't that much but, it is the principle. It all comes down to generating profits for shareholders. I do wonder how many non account holders are possibly shareholders. A shareholder does NOT have to have an account. Charging a shareholder to cash a check??? Pissing people off generally is not good for the bottom line. Lastly, it is NOT the teller's fault they are following the policies set forth by the ones hiding behind the call screeners.

Anonymous said...

I work for an employer who has an account at citizens bank. when i got my paycheck i of course went to that bank to cash it. I don't have an account at any bank because i got ripped off and am now in the checks system so no other bank will allow me to get an account. but anyways i went in to cash my check because i could not use the drive through and they charged me $7 to cash my check which was drawn on their own bank. I was like i would rather go to wal mart. they aren't even a bank and they only charge $3 or less to cash a check. And the whole rip off....was citizens bank as well. I had an account there and someone got my atm card and overdrafted my account by $300. they told me to press charges. I did and when the guilty party didn't pay them the money i had to. I never did cause i filed a report and it wasn't my fault so now i cannot get a bank account anywhere. then i was part of a scam online. I recieved a counterfeit check and tried to cash it. the bank cashed it on the spot even though it was out of state, over $1,000 and my name was misspelled. Now they are telling me i have to pay them back. their policies clearly state that if the check is ouy of state and over $500 it had to be held until cleared. what a crock right. I know i will teach my daughter to never trust a bank in her life because of all this.

Unknown said...

PNC charged me 10 to cash a check.Their check. I cant see how this is legal.Supposed to be good as money at their bank.

Curmudgeon88 said...

PNC refused to accept a deposit of a two-party check signed by both payees where one of the payees has an account at PNC. I was not seeking to get any cash back, just wanted to make a deposit. One service representative said if was for "security reasons" and that it was "bank policy". I said what is the reason for the policy? She said, in case the check bounces, the one party who has the account will have to pay all the bounced check charges. Guess what? That person would have to pay all the charges regardless of whether it's a one-party or two-party check. The Uniform Commercial Code provides that a check is a negotiable instrument, and once it is signed (indorsed), it can be cashed or deposited. So it is only because of PNC wrong-headed policy that benefits neither the bank nor the customer, that these transactions cannot take place. Rest of the story: I took the check to my other bank (Sovereign) and they accepted it for deposit no problem!

Anonymous said...

I brought PNC my parents Power of Attorney papers 30 days ago. The teller made a copy, took my cell phone number and said "it has to go through legal, we will call you". Since that time my poor crippled 87 year old father has had to drag himself into the bank 3 times. This could kill him.

The reason he purchased the POA papers from his attorney was so that he didn't have to deal with the bank/bills any longer. I think it would be easier for my Dad to start over with an account at Huntington bank. PNC makes it hard to grow old.