Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Banco Popular, Banking While White

We said we would post the good and the bad. This is the later. Discrimination based on having white skin, poor customer service, pure arrogance. This are just a few of my not so favorite things.

My employer routinely writes my pay check on a state side account, if I send the checks to the bank with our runner who happens to be Puerto Rican, and has been here a long time the deposits go straight in. If I do them they put a hold on them for up to ten days. Same bank same checks for four years.

I also had an instance were we wrote a large check on our account here to move money back to the states. That check was returned by the local branch because they said it wasn't my signature. No attempt was made to contact me ever. No police notification about a check for twenty five thousand dollars they thought was forged. Just ridiculous, the clerk took one look at my signature card, my white mug shot of a drivers license that they had on file, likely sucked her teeth and bounced the check. I am done with this bank.

As soon as this check clears I will be moving my account. If my state side bank would do imaging deposits I wouldn't even have an account here. Oh and as a parting shot the branch manager said I could go down to the division of banking and file a formal complaint. Figure this rant will do more good.

4 comments:

bevm said...

You should still file a formal complaint Jay. They need to know this is going on..

Islandkat said...

You should not only file a formal complaint you should file a complaint with the Attorney General's office. I threaten that to them when they lost my $500 cash deposit & got instant results as well as apologies....

Anonymous said...

moved to USAA Federal Savings Bank. They have image check deposits.

ViPhiBvi said...

It's unfortunate that you are being discriminated against. My husband is a born and bred St. Thomian, I am Asian. We frequently visit and it always floors me how differently my husband is treated versus myself. The banker should have been basing the availability of the funds on the account history as opposed to who brought in the transaction. Per Regulation CC, they have to have a valid reason for placing a hold on your check. If they didn't, they would be in violation of the regulation I would definitely speak with the branch manager as well as file a formal complaint with the OCC. It's no wonder the island is in a state of crisis with the way people tend to conduct business. Sorry, tangent . . . . BTW, I came across your blog a couple of years ago when I was searching for weather info before an upcoming visit. I've been reading it ever since. Look forward to seeing your posts =)

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