[GPSCC-chat] End banks deathgrip on your money

[John Thielking]

Oh, here is that thread that seemed to disappear in my G-mail inbox.
Anyhow, I sent the following additional comments to Mike Honda and Zoe
Lofgren. There is also a complete article on Indybay at

https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/04/15/18754160.php

John Thielking

I need to add a few additional comments:

1) Meriwest still charges $35 for attempted ACH overdrafts even if you
select to have such overdrafts declined when they occur. Direct Express
never charges an overdraft fee and most of the time it is not possible to
get an overdraft to occur.

2) Although I told Meriwest customer service that I wanted online banking
"disabled", they later said that I could still create an online banking log
in from my home computer if I had all the correct information such as my
mother's maiden name and drivers license #. My requested standard for banks
and credit unions is that when the customer requests to not enable online
banking that it should be necessary to show a photo ID to customer service
at a branch location and state that they would like to enable online
banking before the customer can create a valid log in for full access
online banking that includes the features of money transfer and online bill
pay.

3) I was finally able to create an e-statement only log in on Meriwest's
web site without first using online banking in any way. That part is
satisfactory.

Please forward these additional comments to Mike Honda and staff. Thank you.

Sincerely,

John Thielking, San Jose, CA


On Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 10:03 PM, John Thielking <peacemovies at gmail.com>wrote:

> Based on your reply, I'm adding the following PS to my lengthy letter to
> Lofgren and Honda prior to the Senior Scam Prevention event on Friday:
>
> PS Another issue is overdrafts. All banks and credit unions should be
> required to offer (and to CLEARLY STATE that such an option is available)
> an option to have your account reject ALL overdrafts. Chase does not
> currently offer this and Meriwest may offer this but failed miserably to
> explain this option.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 8:42 PM, Drew <rainbeaufriend at riseup.net> wrote:
>
>> I'm confident that even folks using P.O. Boxes can prove their residency
>> and get a Meriwest Credit Union account.
>>
>> I have my account set to reject overdrafts so I don't pay overdraft fees
>> like Chase ripped me off for (and had a class action lawsuit and government
>> investigation over).
>>
>>
>> Green is local!
>>
>> Drew
>> --
>> Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
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