The most unrealistic thing about this post is the bank not immediately blocking this user and dropping them from all banking services. Taking the time to investigate and not dropping the customer… Incredible
I think the bank is smart enough to understand they were probably drunk and joking, if they were actually performing terrorist acts with the funds then they wouldn’t label them so plainly. Closing someone’s bank can cause a lot of issues in their life so it is more fair to warn them first.
They really aren’t. Honestly most banks don’t care what “illegal” things you do as long as you give them plausible deniability.
If you cause the bank more problems than you do bringing them in money, then they’re more likely to ban you. Even in this example they’re stating that you shouldn’t use these words, just that they are required to investigate these words.
Also if they genuinely thought you were performing illegal activities they wouldn’t tell you, they would had it off to the proper cover your ass department.
That being said, don’t actually test what words bank monitor, since, as I mentioned, if you’re a pain in the ass on purpose they’ll probably drop you, or at the very least freeze funds for a long time.
My bank once disabled my access to my funds out of the blue and told me to come in person because they have to check stuff like terrorist funding for each client from time to time, same thing happened to a colleague. So banks blocking you suddenly and without warning is very much a thing
For real, “Hey, we’re investigating you, good opportunity to hide your stuff now.” And if a bank were literally concerned about terrorism (like HSBC?), I imagine they’d forward directly on to their legal department or law enforcement. Maybe. I dunno, I’m just some guy.
99% of my Venmos are for hookers and cocaine though.
Dropping business? PFFFFFT, see, that’s why you’re not a banker, you put silly things like possible threats and societal security above profits! Criminals and terrorists need banking services, banks can rat them out and come out as good guys, it’s win-win!
No, we still do that if you’re white and in a good zip code. I’ve done it myself, although I’d you’re very nice and there’s no written record that I know, I may give someone a heads up.
The most unrealistic thing about this post is the bank not immediately blocking this user and dropping them from all banking services. Taking the time to investigate and not dropping the customer… Incredible
I think the bank is smart enough to understand they were probably drunk and joking, if they were actually performing terrorist acts with the funds then they wouldn’t label them so plainly. Closing someone’s bank can cause a lot of issues in their life so it is more fair to warn them first.
I agree that is the reality we should live in, I’m not so sure that’s the reality we do live in as experienced by most banking customers.
Starling are a newer bank as well and seem to be more forward thinking. An older bank may be likely to ban your account for this.
They really aren’t. Honestly most banks don’t care what “illegal” things you do as long as you give them plausible deniability.
If you cause the bank more problems than you do bringing them in money, then they’re more likely to ban you. Even in this example they’re stating that you shouldn’t use these words, just that they are required to investigate these words.
Also if they genuinely thought you were performing illegal activities they wouldn’t tell you, they would had it off to the proper cover your ass department.
That being said, don’t actually test what words bank monitor, since, as I mentioned, if you’re a pain in the ass on purpose they’ll probably drop you, or at the very least freeze funds for a long time.
My bank once disabled my access to my funds out of the blue and told me to come in person because they have to check stuff like terrorist funding for each client from time to time, same thing happened to a colleague. So banks blocking you suddenly and without warning is very much a thing
For real, “Hey, we’re investigating you, good opportunity to hide your stuff now.” And if a bank were literally concerned about terrorism (like HSBC?), I imagine they’d forward directly on to their legal department or law enforcement. Maybe. I dunno, I’m just some guy.
99% of my Venmos are for hookers and cocaine though.
Dropping business? PFFFFFT, see, that’s why you’re not a banker, you put silly things like possible threats and societal security above profits! Criminals and terrorists need banking services, banks can rat them out and come out as good guys, it’s win-win!
I bet they’re white and live in a good zip code
There’s no checkbox in a bank database for race. And there’s no special rules for certain zip codes.
Banks judge you on two things:
Your first and last name can be a giveaway. I know this is a UK bank but this has happened in the US:
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-secures-agreement-patriot-bank-resolve-lending-discrimination-claims
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-orders-citi-to-pay-25-9-million-for-intentional-illegal-discrimination-against-armenian-americans/
No, we still do that if you’re white and in a good zip code. I’ve done it myself, although I’d you’re very nice and there’s no written record that I know, I may give someone a heads up.