Bank Of America Asks Armless Man For Thumbprint
A Florida man was unable to cash a Bank of America check because the bank required a thumbprint, and he had no arms.
WTSP has the story of Steve Valdez, who tried to cash a Bank of America check written by his wife to him. He took the check to a BoA branch, presented two forms of picture ID, and was prevented from cashing the check because he couldn't provide a thumbprint. The manager refused to accommodate Valdez, suggesting that he open an account if he wanted to cash the check.
We've written before about consumers' discomfort about having to provide fingerprints for business transactions. Some readers have pointed out to their banks that there's nothing in the Uniform Commercial Code about requiring a thumbprint for negotiable instruments. In this case, Valdez also told the bank that they might be violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Also, there's this: In July, Bank of America admitted that they keep a database of the thumbprinted checks. Wonderful.
Bank wants thumbprint from man with no hands [WTSP]
(Photo: fazen)Thanks, Sara!
Post a comment
Comments:
I wonder if a toe-print would have been considered adequate accommodation under the ADA. Otherwise it sounds like the bank is going to have a problematic lawsuit on its hands.
How about a footprint on the manager's backside?
To quote John Stewart.. "Be a F&%@ing Human!"
Yeah, BOA doesn't have a leg to stand on.
Of course! The man had both his fucking arms amputated and then forged two forms of picture ID so he could go into BoA and pass a bad check. Brilliant.
Wife wrote a check to her husband...I know there are couples who don't like having their accounts together but didn't they ever think that a joint account would have been a good idea? What if he needed to write a check (archaic technology :p) I mean maybe he can write with his feet...but yeah - you get the point :)
@TerpBE: One officer was reported to have slapped his head when he asked if the gentleman needed a hand.
@VA_White: It was well worth the $30 the check was forged for. And he would have gottena way with it to, if it wasn't for those nosey kids.....
@TerpBE: Upon arrival, the officer, who for no good reason was a stereotypical caricature of an english bobby, refused to arrest the man, stating "Oi, 'e's 'armless."
@detox98: Common law? Business account to personal? Many reasons. Besides, if they had a joint account, there's no need to write a check.
@detox98: Couples may have different accounts for all sorts of reasons. My wife has hers, I have mine, we also have a joint. We use them all for certain purposes. Every once in a while, I have to write her a check she can deposit into hers. Nothing really unusual here.
Ohh, for God's sake! He's got an arm off!
@detox98: Not sure how the laws work out, but if he's collecting disability benefits and Medicaid, he might have to keep his net worth below a certain amount.
Something to consider.
@detox98: My parents have a joint account, but my dad also has an account separate he uses for all things having to do with my grandmothers care. Sometimes it becomes necessary to transfer money between the 2, and either my mom or dad will write a check for my dad to cash into the other account. I can think of tons of other ways you would get a situation like this, including business accounts as others have mentioned.
If your spouse is a spendthrift who has maxed out all his/her credit cards, you don't want a joint account. If things are really bad, sometimes you have to decide whether a forged check on your own account is worth prosecution/divorce.
Presumably he had at least one prosthetic. If it was the old school hook type, he should have just carved the sh*t out of the thumbprint reader with it.
That's a slap in the face of a handicapped person by an unseeing, unfeeling clerk. ADA regs be dammed, I'd be calling down a discrimination suit against them.
All things considered, he should be banking at a Credit Union, not some giant of a bank due for a fall.
Freaking libruhls.
This wouldn't happen if you had the right to bear arms in a bank.
Why couldn't they just take a print of his big toe if he could have slid his foot out of his shoe? Seriously, a toe print is just as identifiable and unique as a thumb print if they really needed a thumb print.
Get him into a side office so he can have some privacy; put the paper on the floor and ink the toe. Its not rocket science.
Well this wont help him but it will help the rest of you.
Fake fingerprints made easy: [www.ehow.com]
Hopefully Bank of America will get a nice fat discrimination lawsuit. Although they will probably add a fee to account holders for it.
He's got no arms. How's he presenting anything? Does he have a portable projector for his powerpoints?
@Nighthawke: "ADA regs be dammed, I'd be calling down a discrimination suit against them."
You're kinda all over the place there.
Oh and...BINGO for "Credit Union".
I once went to LensCrafters to get a custom pair of eyeglasses made. At the time I was wearing a very visible black eye patch on my right eye.
I asked if they could make me a pair of sunglasses with the right side having a black/opaque "lens". (So I wouldn't have to wear my patch during the summer when I was outside.)
Without looking up the sales lady asked, "And why would you want that?"
To which I replied, "Well, if you took two seconds out of your life to look at me, you'd have your answer."
To which she looked up, grunted "Umpt," and walked away.
Needless to say, I didn't buy my glasses from LensCrafters .
I usually feel that we are a nation over prone to filing lawsuits for every little thing...
In this case, I hope he sues the fuck out of BOA.
Here's the shocking part to me...
I'm not shocked. I don't think there is anything BoA can do to surprise me.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they had secret corporate directives to discriminate and provide bad service to drive away business in order to reduce overhead.
Sue the bastards!
@detox98: Could be a business account. Could be a medical expense account. Could be his allowance. Could be that the check was written by her since she's the only one who with arms and thus the only one who can write.
None are a reason for Bank of America to refuse service to him specifically because of his disability.
@Smashville_makes his own comments at home: Also...I'm frightened by how many people on that article support BoA.
@Vandelay Import Export: Shhh! Don't give them any ideas. They'll start charging an image processing and storage fee for the prints. Just $1.99 for each check you cash!
Check-cashing stores charge fees for cashing checks. BOA is missing out.
(note to BOA: you already suck worse than a Hoover. If you actually DO this, you belong in sveral different landfills. Scum.)
@bwcbwc: But what if you were a quad amputee?
Also there was a story awhile back where a certain cancer drug has a known rare side effect of wiping out ALL your finger and toe prints. Of course no prints is better than being dead from cancer, but it definitely can cause hassles if say the TSA needs your fingerprint.
He should etch "Fuk BOA" on his prosthetic thumb and stamp away
Police were sent to the scene after reports of a disturbance by an unarmed man.