Wells Fargo's New Check Cashing Policy

When I got the nice refund check, I did not even hesitate. I got ready and headed for the bank. Looking at the check, I noticed it was issued from Wells Fargo Bank. I thought, Wells Fargo is closer than my bank and I have to go and pay a bill after wards. I decided to stop at the Wells Fargo and cash the check, then just drop off the money for the bill in cash, vs sending another check.

As I got out of my car and walked in the bank, I thought, there are lots of people in here this afternoon, maybe this was not the best idea. The line looked very long. I decided to stand there and follow through with cashing the check, then dropping off the bill instead of going across town to my bank. About 20 minutes into standing there, I am watching bank employees, dressed in suits start to move around the customer line. Soon they were asking individual customers WHY they were in the bank? As soon as the guy got to me, I knew I was going to encounter problems.

He asked me in a banker's tone, Why I was in the bank? I stated that I was there to just cash a check. He asked me if I had an account there? I said no. He then proceeded to tell me that Wells Fargo has a new procedural change in policy. He said if you do not have a Wells Fargo bank account and wanted to cash a check of a person who does bank with them, you would have to get out of line, go have a seat and wait for a bank representative to talk with you. OK, so I am starting to get aggravated at this point.

I sat down and waited for approximately 14 more minutes before a girl who looked like she was going out to a party, more than performing banking duties, called my name. The first question out of her mouth was, "Do you have an account with Wells Fargo?" I said, "No". I have an account at another bank, but they are on the other side of town".
I asked what was going on with the way they now require you to cash a check? She said the same thing the guy in the suit told me. I told her, "Well, just for the record, I think this is a horrible way to do business!" Her response was, "Maybe, you should consider opening an account with Wells Fargo, so you don't have to go through this procedure." This was about a 5 minute process.

My initial response was to laugh. My next response was to look at her and say, I have had my account with my bank for over 6 yrs. Why would I switch? This is the worst banking practice here, I have ever encountered. She took my fingerprint and then proceeded to walk us back out to the madness of the front teller counter.

We stood there for 10 more minutes waiting for a teller to come available, just like I had already been doing, before I was taken out of the line. She finally said, "I am going to take this downstairs and take care of it." OK, so I stood over to the side, near the door, where everybody was walking in and out for another 13 minutes. The lady disappeared, came back, didn't even know where she left me, and proceeded to count out my money. She miscounted 3 times before realizing part of the money was still stuck in the envelope she brought it in.

So the entire check cashing process that I could have driven across town in about the same time, with no hassles at the bank, took about an hour to complete. All of this time, while I have my 5 yr old granddaughter with me.

My question, at this point would be, What is really going on with Wells Fargo? Is this a practice that is being implemented at all banks or just them? Is this really an attempt to get new customers? You are required to go and sit down at a banker's desk and have them check your ID and your Social Security Card, which I didn't think could be used as any form of ID, then give them your fingerprint. They ask you in the process, if you want to open an account. Then, you still have to wait for this suit clad banker to go up to the front and stand there with you, in the same line, you were in, to cash the check.

I was appalled at this procedure in Wells Fargo Bank. I have never felt comfortable in their banks to begin with, now I am sure, if I ever get another check drawn on Wells Fargo, I will just take it to my bank and deposit it.

If this is a new trend in every banks policy, then our freedoms have really sunk to a new low. If not, I would implore Wells Fargo to change this horrible way of doing business. There are no signs coming into the bank to tell you the policy has changed. You could stand in the regular line, assuming you are making progress, then be yanked out of line, only to wait to talk to someone, you care less to talk to. We all get checks from various sources drawn on other banks. Now, with the Wells Fargo policy, we are subjected to interrogation and much wasted time.

This is definitely not the way to get new customers when you keep them from getting in the bank and getting out without going through this sort of aggravation. Shame on you Wells Fargo if this is your policy and not national banking policy. Maybe making it more convenient to bank there instead of employing lots of over dressed bankers to hold customers hostage would work somewhat better.