On March 8, 2011, I went to the Brookline Bank (Malden branch) to make a cash payment on my vehicle loan. I give the teller my loan number and she tells me she can't find my information. She asks me if I've made payments at this branch before and I tell her yes (by cash and check). She asks my last name and I tell her. She still can't pull up anything. Now she asks me out loud for my social security number. I tell her I'm not going to just blurt that out to you (I don't know her, trust her, nor do I know who else is listening around me). She then asks me for the last 4 digits of it which I give her.
As this conversation is going on between us, there's another employee sitting over from her at a closed window watching and listening to us. I'm also counting out $550 in cash in front of the teller's window that I'm going to make this payment with. She says to me, if I'm going to pay by cash, I need to fill out a card with all my personal information (account number, name, address & social security number). She tells me this is a one time process and that I won't have to do it again in the future. I remind her once again that I've made payments (cash or check) at this branch and that my information is already in their system.
She tells me if I were paying by personal check, I wouldn't have to fill out this card and be verified, but paying by cash I have to be verified who I am. What?!
Now keep in mind, my loan information is obviously in front of her in order to allow me to pay by check, right? I don't know! I'm getting frustrated and annoyed at the fact that I'm even having this conversation with this person about this. I asked her if there was a manager I could speak with. She looks over to the guy sitting at the closed window that's been listening to all of this. He jumps up, comes over and says "I've been listening to all of this". (Was he testing his teller out to see if she could handle this on her own or something)?
Now he starts with the same stuff she left off with.
At this point, I'm talking loudly and the manager asks me to quiet down because there are other customers around. He then says if I can't, I must leave the bank. I ask him "and if I don't, you gonna call the cops"? He says "yes". I told him to call them so this way a) I can make a scene because they've driven me to the breaking point. b) Hopefully, it'll be documented and reviewed by the regional manager (not that it'll do anything for me). c) Because I'm not going down without a fight. In my mind, I figure if more people stood up and did what I'm doing, this stupidity might come to an end one day.
Police come and the manager cries to them about how I won't let them verify who I am to make a cash payment and that I refused to leave the bank when told to do so. My cash is still sitting spread out along the teller's counter. The cop says to me that if I didn't want to do what they told me, to just leave. I looked at the manager and said "you won this one today" and grabbed my cash and walked out. I then called Brookline Bank on my phone to speak to speak to someone and tell them about this.
A representative says I can send a money order (at any time, without being verified obviously) to Brookline Bank in Amherst NY. I asked him "Why is it I can send a money order to you through the mail at any time without being verified - yet can't walk into one of your branches and do the same thing"?
He tells me the reason for the identity/verification with cash (or money order) is because of the Patriot Act. He goes on to say that the reason they want to verify me (even though my info is there) is because the branches and where he is aren't exactly on the same system (and would also cost millions to make it as one - once again, not my fault) and that it sometimes takes days for the payment to process (I don't see why that's different when paying by check). He also says the bank has to monitor who's paying cash, how much and paper trails and other stuff that I have absolutely NO INTEREST IN. All I want to do is MAKE A PAYMENT. Isn't walking into a bank supposed to be a convenience and a happy experience?
I'M GIVING MONEY TO THE BANK. I should be able to send anyone into that bank with my loan number - a bum off the street, a robot or an alien from another planet to make a payment on my loan. Simple enough. End of story.
They should be thrilled people are walking into their branches and actually making payments on loans - especially in these times. Instead, I was thrown out of Brookline Bank in Malden by manager Mark Flores with cash in hand.
I would move this loan out of Brookline Bank with another Financial Institution if it weren't for the fact that there is only a few years left on the loan. I would stand to lose money by doing this. I will never do business with Brookline Bank in any way after this loan has been paid off. I have never felt so degraded, humiliated and worth nothing at this supposedly "reputable organization". read more
