From a Digg comment on our post about a WaMu branch telling a man saying they didn't have enough money on hand to let him withdraw $4200: "funny because i had the same experience at a Wamu. My wife had trouble cashing a $5000 check and we had to drive around to three branches until finally, after insisting continuously, that they finally cashed it!"
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Not all WaMus I guess. I pulled out $7800 in cash recently to buy a bunch of international postal money orders before going to Japan.
They bitched and moaned when I wanted to cash a $1200 check. I should have called in advance they said.
Sometimes I wonder if all these posts don't just act as an operating manual for managers of scuzzy businesses looking for the lowest common denominator to which they can sink. "Hey, look what WaMu got away with today!" I can hear them saying.
Same thing happened to my and my ex-roommate. We went to cash the $5,500 security deposit check (in New York City) at a WaMu, and they wouldn't. They told us to open a joint account (yea, right) and wait 4-5 business days for the check to clear.
We went to Chase, the bank the check was drawn on, and they told us the same thing!
Finally, Citibank (my bank) came through -- so long as we both provided photo IDs.
FYI, WAMU is closing down some more housing business as well.
@capnjack:
Sorry that didn't come out right.
Wamu is closing down some residential lending branches right now.
I'm just guessing here, but wouldn't banks be legally obligated to let you withdraw even "large" sums of money. I mean a few K is nothing for some people. It's your money, they are obligated to provide you legal tender no?
@juggler314: They're not obligated to give you cash. Every single one of these stories begins with "they offered me a cashiers check, but I want cash".
Yeah, almost every bank I know does not keep too much cash on hand - out of fear of getting robbed, I assume, and will instead offer a cashier's check free of charge. It's not WAMU specific.
Not just me then I guess!