If you’re disgusted by the pitiful compensation proposed in the Bank of America privacy violation settlement, check out Hayden’s sample letter for inspiration for registering your objection.
banks
Proposed Settlement For BoA Selling Your Private Information: $200 Off Your Next Mortgage!
By 6.27.07
The proposed settlement for a class action lawsuit against Bank of America that would affect everyone who has ever had a checking or savings account with them since 1995 is pathetic. In return for selling your private information without your knowledge, and depending on your account, you can get: $200 off your next mortgage with Bank of America! OR…
Eloping Nearly Ruined By Bank Blocking The Entire "State" Of Las Vegas
By 6.25.07
I know a lot of your readers believe that local, mom and pop operations are the way to go — that big corporate companies are universally evil and local is almost always filled with nice, smiling workers who are far superior to their sell-out counter-parts. I’m here today to show you that, at least in banking, size doesn’t matter.
Personal Finance Bloggers Say "Maxed Out" Has Non Sufficient Funds
By 6.22.07
We’re not the only ones irked by the Maxed Out documentary.
Reader Shares Personal Financial Security Protocols
By 6.21.07
Reader and security researcher Nweaver has blogged the precautions he takes when managing his personal finances, from credit cards to debit to his brokerage account.
Payday Lenders Funded By Bank Of America, Chase, WellsFargo, U.S. Bancorp, Wachovia
By 6.20.07
Seven big payday loan chains are extensively bankrolled by brand name banks. Bank Of America, Chase, WellsFargo, U.S. Bancorp, and Wachovia all extend tens to hundreds of million dollars in lines of credit to these predatory lenders who charge several hundred percent interest on cash advances, often made to the poor and uneducated.
Maxed Out: Take It For What It's Worth
By 6.20.07
We just finished watching Maxed Out, the recent documentary about the viperous evils of the credit industry. We agree with the basic premise: Underinformed debtors are getting taking advantage of. And the stories are horrific, with three different people driven to suicide because of debt. The doc does a good job of outlining the links from debtor, to bank, to debt collector, to government representatives. It’s a nasty apparatus.
Stop Overdrafting!
By 6.19.07
Our tip box is organized by complaint category. In the “banks” section, email after email starts roughly the same way, “I overdrafted my account and then a series of horrible events ensued.”
Contact Info And Routing Numbers For Major Online Banks
By 6.18.07
FiveCentNickel has a good little roundup useful for when you’re moving money to or from an online banking account and you find yourself digging around for customer service phone numbers, routing numbers, or addresses.
Ridiculous Credit Card Fees From The Future
By 6.18.07
In recent Senate hearings, representatives took aim at the credit card industry for developing a matrix of fees designed to operate as income streams rather than merely recoup costs. Some of the contract verbiage regarding fees, our Senators said, are written at the 27th grade level. At the same time, everything is presented in a seemingly reasonable, and objective manner, reminiscent of the Machiavellian intent apparent in Parago’s patent application for a rebate system that, “provides a user friendly interface, yet retains hurdles sufficient to maintain breakage.”
6 Things To Do When You Lose Your Wallet
By 6.18.07
Losing your wallet is a major drag but if you act quickly you can mitigate the fallout, writes The Mint Blog:
4 Things To Try Before Foreclosure
By 6.18.07
Usually one has somewhat of an advance notice that they’re going to miss a mortgage payment, so before that happens and the bank comes to take your house away, Kiplinger’s advises calling up your lender and discussing one of these four options:
Recording Of Capitol One Going Off On Customer
By 6.14.07
Great job, Crapitol One! You just lost a(nother) customer! — BEN POPKEN
The Potentially Apocryphal, Yet Well-Worn, Story Of Ken Lewis' Personal Dedication To Customer Service
By 6.12.07
According to a tale, possibly apocryphal, we picked up while visiting Charlotte, Bank of America’s home base, BoA CEO Ken Lewis was once standing behind some customers having trouble with a malfunctioning BoA ATM.
Wachovia Demonstrates How To Lose A Customer
By 6.5.07
We have more than a passing interest in customer service over here, so it always amuses us when a company loses a customer simply because they’re too stubborn to apologize for messing up.
Bank CEO Uses NYPD As Personal Thugs
By 5.29.07
NYC citizen Jeff Boyle called the CEO of Valley National Bank at home to complain about some illegal construction noise. The CEO Gerald “Don’t You Know Who I Am” Lipkin, rather than apologizing for the racket, “flipped out.”
