Melissa wanted to pay for a hard drive at Fry’s Electronics with a check, but management discouraged her from doing so by making her jump through what she feels was an unreasonable hoop. She was told she’d have to use one of the store’s computers to log on to her account in front of a worker and prove she had enough money to make the purchase.

She writes:

I went to Fry’s Electronics in [redacted], Indiana to purchase an external hard drive. My backup hard drive for my computer had failed and I needed a new one. Everything went smoothly until I had to pay. The problem was that I had chosen to pay by check, one of the listed accepted payments. The purchase amount was for $143.36.

After providing the cashier with my phone number and in-state driver’s license, the cashier said she needed to further verify my account. A few minutes later, the manager came over and said that in order to “verify funds” and for “my own security,” I had to use one of Fry’s public computers, login to my personal banking account using my password, and show the cashier my account information! This is UNACCEPTABLE.

The manager did state that this was a one time process because it was the first time I had written a check at Fry’s. However, it is not my first purchase from Fry’s (four months ago I bought a netbook and used my debit card). I have used checks at department and grocery stores for $100 plus purchases, and have never been asked to login to my banking account and show my personal information to the cashier.

I am astounded I was asked to do this. I asked the Fry’s manager on duty if I could see the written policy corresponding to the request. She pointed to the written check policy posted at the register which displays “verify funds.” She also had the nerve to say that the verification was for “my own security.” Fry’s, please don’t insult me further by trying to say that it’s in my own interest to log-in to my banking account on a Fry’s public computer and allow strangers to view my banking information.

She ended up paying by credit card.

If you still pay for stuff with checks, are you ever nudged into similar predicaments? And would you please identify yourself so I can avoid getting in line behind you at grocery stores?

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