Anyone work at a bank?

[LuckyTaxi]

When receiving large checks from friends and associates, I tend to visit the bank where the check (not where my accounts are) from so that I can cash them. Why does it take on average 5 minutes or so by the time you give them your ID to the time they ask you "How would you like your cash?"

It's quite annoying at times and no way in hell would I want to open an account at most of these places. What exactly are they typing into the computer? I know they're checking the account to make sure there are enough funds but shouldnt that take like a couple of seconds to punch the account number in?

 

[imported_Mike]

Originally posted by: lilcam
When receiving large checks from friends and associates, I tend to visit the bank where the check (not where my accounts are) from so that I can cash them. Why does it take on average 5 minutes or so by the time you give them your ID to the time they ask you "How would you like your cash?"

It's quite annoying at times and no way in hell would I want to open an account at most of these places. What exactly are they typing into the computer? I know they're checking the account to make sure there are enough funds but shouldnt that take like a couple of seconds to punch the account number in?

Why wouldn't you just go to your normal bank? Then you have to make 2 trips. Unless you need to have large amounts of cash on hand.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

Why wouldn't you just go to your normal bank? Then you have to make 2 trips. Unless you need to have large amounts of cash on hand.

Going through some legal stuff so I can't put large amount of cash in my account.

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: lilcam
When receiving large checks from friends and associates, I tend to visit the bank where the check (not where my accounts are) from so that I can cash them. Why does it take on average 5 minutes or so by the time you give them your ID to the time they ask you "How would you like your cash?"

It's quite annoying at times and no way in hell would I want to open an account at most of these places. What exactly are they typing into the computer? I know they're checking the account to make sure there are enough funds but shouldnt that take like a couple of seconds to punch the account number in?

Why wouldn't you just go to your normal bank? Then you have to make 2 trips. Unless you need to have large amounts of cash on hand.

Also, if the check has insufficient funds, there exists the high possibility that YOUR bank will charge you a fee for depositing a bad check. But I have yet to deal with that and I always deposit into my own bank. Don't some places charge you a percentage fee to get cash from checks written by their customers, but drawn on their bank?

Don't know if it is still true (you would know better than me) but here's a link to show that i'm not totally crazy:Link

 

[LuckyTaxi]

wow ... banks are indeed evil.

the other disturbing thing was as i was waiting for my money, there was this foreign guy next to me withdrawing money from his account. I assumed he own some sort of business since he was getting exact change and what not. damn tellers were so rude and making fun of the poor guy cuz he wore weird colors. makes me wanna yell at ppl sometimes cuz im a foreigner but i fit in cuz im americanize.

 

[trulfe]

well you don't have an account with them so the moment you walk out of the office they can't track you down. So they are probably checking the signiture matches that the check is in sequential order, the funds are there etc. you could have picked up someone elses checkbook and written the check to yourself, so making sure the funds are there isn't the only thing they're checking.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: Mike

Originally posted by: lilcam
When receiving large checks from friends and associates, I tend to visit the bank where the check (not where my accounts are) from so that I can cash them. Why does it take on average 5 minutes or so by the time you give them your ID to the time they ask you "How would you like your cash?"

It's quite annoying at times and no way in hell would I want to open an account at most of these places. What exactly are they typing into the computer? I know they're checking the account to make sure there are enough funds but shouldnt that take like a couple of seconds to punch the account number in?

Why wouldn't you just go to your normal bank? Then you have to make 2 trips. Unless you need to have large amounts of cash on hand.

If the check bounces then your bank will charge you a returned check charge whereas when you present it at the bank it is drawn on the most they will do is tell you there are insufficient funds to cover the check. Another downside to running it through your bank to the issuers bank is that you have a maximum of 2 chances to get the check cashed before a new one has to be issued.

 

[imported_Mike]

Returned check fee is like $6, not worth driving around for. Maybe if it was on the way somewhere.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: lilcam

Why wouldn't you just go to your normal bank? Then you have to make 2 trips. Unless you need to have large amounts of cash on hand.

Going through some legal stuff so I can't put large amount of cash in my account.

Maybe they are reading about that? Some kind of hold or something?

 

[Kalvin00]

Most likely it's a new teller, or some practice I don't know about.

If a non-customer comes in with one of our checks and wants to cash, most of the time I just take the check, ID, write down info such as DL# and phone#, and then spend 15 seconds typing into the computer. If they seem suspicious I will check the signature...but not always.

Takes no more than a couple minutes.

 

[rbV5]

I'd rather they took the time to check carefully before they issue funds from my account thank you very much.

 

[Kalvin00]

Originally posted by: mjuszczak
Maybe they are reading about that? Some kind of hold or something?

They can't hold a check from their own bank.

 

[Alone]

Originally posted by: rbV5
I'd rather they took the time to check carefully before they issue funds from my account thank you very much.

 

[erub]

Originally posted by: Alone

Originally posted by: rbV5
I'd rather they took the time to check carefully before they issue funds from my account thank you very much.

if you think somebody is checking signatures when I deposit your banks check in my bank, you are fooling yourself..

 

[2Xtreme21]

I noticed this exact thing yesterday when I went to deposit my pay check. It was a decent chunk of change, but nothing suspicious, and I've had an account (one way or another) with that bank for probably 10 years now-- I handed the teller the check and we start small talking about my job and what not, but this whole time she's furiously typing numbers and clicking / scrolling.. it had to be like 3-4 minutes at least before she asked if I wanted a balance or any cash from it. After I said no, she still had probably 2 minutes of furious typing, until she handed me back my debit card and said have a nice day.

*shrugs*

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: erub

Originally posted by: Alone

Originally posted by: rbV5
I'd rather they took the time to check carefully before they issue funds from my account thank you very much.

if you think somebody is checking signatures when I deposit your banks check in my bank, you are fooling yourself..

Who said anything about signatures? It's my responsibility to notify the bank if someone forges my name to a check. I'm talking the automatic check processing that the bank itself employs to verify that the check is good. If it takes a minute or two to complete, no problem here. I don't want stop-pay checks paid and such.