Why We Hate Banks Part Deux

OK, so here's an addition to my 2/25/12 rant.  I criticize when criticism is warranted and whatever the opposite of criticism is when warranted.  In this case, it's not really 'kudos' but I don't know what it is.

The Regional bank I didn't name that charged for each iPhone processed deposit isn't the only bank in town.   The really huge bank with which we also do business, has an iPhone app which does check deposits.  Much to my surprise, this mega-Bank does not appear to charge for each transaction.   I'll believe it when I see my statement, but so far, there doesn't seem to be a fee for the "privilege." 

And this bank is way more evil than the Regional bank....  And famous for devising new fees...

Why We Hate Banks

So I decided the other day to try out an iPhone app for my bank, which would enable me to make a deposit into my account using the phone rather than traveling to a branch or ATM.   The bank had touted it as a time-saver, but I discovered a hitch half way through the process.

The app first had me take a photo of the front of the check and enter the amount of the deposit.  It was pretty much like using the iPhone to take any sort of photo; no big deal.  Then it was time to take a shot of the back of the check.   Those tasks completed, I was presented with a screen to either Cancel or Continue and oh, by the way, a notice that I would be charged $.50 to complete the deposit with the app.   

So my bank had found another fee based revenue source.  Why would I want to deposit a check for $10 and change via the iPhone and pay a $.50 fee?   Short answer: I would not.     I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since a couple decades ago, the banking industry offered free access to ATMs to get consumers used to the devices, and then tried to slap fees on when we used them.  Here the bank has the customer using his own equipment (iPhone) to process a deposit electronically into their system, and they think it's reasonable to charge me for the "privilege?"  But not to state up front that a fee would be incurred...

I think not.   A small example of why we hate our banks.

Further Evidence of Aging

As if I needed more evidence...

When you reach the age of social security awareness, strange things can happen.   As a retired Federal worker, I am not covered by social security, but my spouse is.   And she recently retired after 23 years at the same bank branch (although having worked for 5 or 6 banks during that time span).

So during the online application process, the Social Security Administration wanted proof of my wife's marriage in support of her (long-ago) name change.   We just celebrated our 40th anniversary and Nancy blithely sent me off to the safe deposit box to get the marriage certificate, license, or whatever it was.   Well, whatever it was, it wasn't there.   We'd just assumed we had it in amongst the passports, birth certificates, mortgage documents, and other records we haven't looked at in decades.  We quickly concluded that we apparently don't have our marriage record.  It got even sillier when I went online to see how to get a copy.   

We were married in Nancy's parent's home on Long Island.  Neither of us had any recollection of obtaining a marriage license, and according to the Nassau County web site, marriage licenses aren't issued by the County, but by three townships and a couple of cities in Nassau County.  My wife and I stared at each other blankly as neither of us knew in which township her parent's home was.  North Hempstead, Hempstead?  We could get a copy from the NYS Health Department, but it would cost us ($30 plus $15 for priority handling plus $7.25 for using a credit card and take 10 business days; without priority handling, it would take 2 to 4 weeks).  I made a wild guess and called the Hempstead Township Clerk's office and explained that we needed a 40 year old marriage certificate but didn't know what office had issued the certificate.   

I suspect that the Hempstead employee thought she had a doddering flower child on the phone who couldn't remember in what town he'd been married...  She asked if I was sure of the wedding date...

After faxing a request for them to find out if Hempstead had our record, we waited eagerly for a response.   In the meantime, the Social Security Administration web site was no longer requesting evidence of the name change.  My wife told me we should still get the copy if possible so she wouldn't have any "issues" if I drop dead.  

The next day, we received a phone message from Hempstead telling us they had our marriage record and how did we wish to pay for it?   In the spirit of elderly flower children everywhere, I gave her my credit card number and commented that Hempstead's price ($16) was much less than the NYS Health Department fee for the same record.  The clerk muttered something about Hempstead also being much faster.

The certificate will be mailed out on Tuesday (Monday being a holiday) and we'll have our record in a few days.   

Any time after that, it will be OK for me to play in traffic.  My wife will be so relieved.

Health and Politics-A Very Bad Mix

The scandal of the month appears to be the short-lived "non-political" decision by the Susan Komen Foundation to cut it's ties to Planned Parenthood, which has used Komen Foundation money to provide breast cancer screening and support to thousands of women.  The Foundation defended its decision because they have a "policy" that prohibits them from making grants to organizations "under investigation."   What investigation was targeting Planned Parenthood (PP)?  In case you hadn't heard, Republican Representative Cliff Stearns of Florida has launched a Congressional Investigation of PP.  That's not even close to a criminal investigation, which most of us might consider possibly valid rationale for a charity to guard its grant money.  Congressional investigations are a dime a dozen and signify nothing, beyond some political agenda.

In this case, Representative Stearns is an avowed opponent of PP and has vowed to find a way to cut off all federal funds the group receives.  PP is already prohibited from using those funds to provide abortion services, but that is apparently not good enough for Mr. Stearns.
What's even worse than the Congressional witch-hunt, is the lame and unbelievable defense that the Komen CEO presented for the Foundation's action.  When word spread that the Komen Foundation had succumbed to heavy pressure from abortion opponents to cut ties with PP, CEO Nancy Brinker maintained that the decision had nothing to do with her recent hiring of a former conservative Georgia gubernatorial candidate as Vice-President for Public Policy.  Karen Handel lost her race for nomination in 2010 after campaigning on an anti-Planned Parenthood platform.  Brinker announced that Handel "had nothing to do with" the Foundation decision to cut off PP funds, despite the fact that Brinker had already said the action was taken in conformance with a new Foundation "policy."  Who could possibly believe that the person in charge of public policy wasn't involved?  It's just plain ridiculous.


The good news is that Planned Parenthood raised nearly a million dollars in the few days after the Komen announcement, and the Internet was filled with angry people who vowed to never participate in another Komen "Race for the cure" fundraiser.  

Don't forget, this is the same foundation that filed lawsuits a year or so ago against other charities who they alleged were infringing on Komen's "trademark" of the words "for the cure."   Can you say charity acting like a corporation?