'Banking While Black': How Cashing a Check Can Be a Minefield

[SummerMadness]

'Banking While Black': How Cashing a Check Can Be a Minefield

Clarice Middleton shook with fear as she stood on the sidewalk outside a Wells Fargo branch in Atlanta one December morning in 2018. Moments earlier, she had tried to cash a $200 check, only to be accused of fraud by three branch employees, who then called 911.
Ms. Middleton, who is black, remembers thinking: "I don't want to die."

For many black Americans, going to the bank can be a fraught experience. Something as simple as trying to cash a check or open a bank account can lead to suspicious employees summoning the police, causing anxiety and fear — and sometimes even physical danger — for the accused customers.

There is no data on how frequently the police are called on customers who are making legitimate everyday transactions. The phenomenon has its own social media hashtag: #BankingWhileBlack.

This is one reason why I am thankful for direct deposit, less headache and fewer issues.

 

[Arcangl86]

Yeah I've read several stories of bank employees assuming any large check cashed by a Black person is fraud, though $200 seems really low.

 

[Hammster]

“There is no data on how frequently the police are called on customers who are making legitimate everyday transactions.”

But let’s find anecdotal stories and write an article. Let’s not find out if similar things happen to white people (they do). That won’t fit the narrative.

 

[Arc F1]

'Banking While Black': How Cashing a Check Can Be a Minefield


This is one reason why I am thankful for direct deposit, less headache and fewer issues.

That's a far reach. In all my years not once did I ever have a black employee stand outside a bank in fear of cashing a check. They all worked hard then got in their $65,000 pickups and drove home to their loving families in their nice big homes. Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people? In my circles everyone was the same. I must live in a different world than everyone else.

 

[SummerMadness]

“There is no data on how frequently the police are called on customers who are making legitimate everyday transactions.”

But let’s find anecdotal stories and write an article. Let’s not find out if similar things happen to white people (they do). That won’t fit the narrative.

Let's make another disingenuous argument attacking the non-existent claim that this only happens to Black people. And let's also pretend that something doesn't exist unless there is a study to show disproportionate treatment. However, when a study is presented that shows racial bias against Black people, make anecdotal claims that it has happened to you in the past, thus there isn't any racial discrimination. Rinse and repeat.

 

[SummerMadness]

That's a far reach. In all my years not once did I ever have a black employee stand outside a bank in fear of cashing a check. They all worked hard then got in their $65,000 pickups and drove home to their loving families in their nice big homes. Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people? In my circles everyone was the same. I must live in a different world than everyone else.

Ah, so since you have never seen it, it doesn't exist.

 

[Arc F1]

Ah, so since you have never seen it, it doesn't exist.

You have got to look farther into what's going on. A lot of the problems you see as only being about blacks is actually a poor person problem. Go to a poor white neighborhood and you will find high rates of police activity and yes they even kill unarmed white men. Raise up the less fortunate of all races and you will see most of the problems disappear. We have got to start seeing each other as equal.

 

[-57]

That's a far reach. In all my years not once did I ever have a black employee stand outside a bank in fear of cashing a check. They all worked hard then got in their $65,000 pickups and drove home to their loving families in their nice big homes. Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people? In my circles everyone was the same. I must live in a different world than everyone else.

.... Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people?....

Thats the question that needs to be answered.

 

[Hammster]

Let's make another disingenuous argument attacking the non-existent claim that this only happens to Black people. And let's also pretend that something doesn't exist unless there is a study to show disproportionate treatment. However, when a study is presented that shows racial bias against Black people, make anecdotal claims that it has happened to you in the past, thus there isn't any racial discrimination. Rinse and repeat.

I know that it wasn’t said that it only happens to black people. But what do you think the message is when only black people are mentioned? And then mention the hashtag?

 

[bèlla]

That's a far reach. In all my years not once did I ever have a black employee stand outside a bank in fear of cashing a check. They all worked hard then got in their $65,000 pickups and drove home to their loving families in their nice big homes. Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people? In my circles everyone was the same. I must live in a different world than everyone else.

I haven't encountered the same or known anyone who experienced this. The deposits are accepted without a problem. If the individual is cashing a check but doesn't have a relationship with the bank there may be greater scrutiny.

I recall my aunt mentioning a bank which didn't accept cash from non customers. She made a deposit for my daughter as a birthday gift. They required a check. That was their AML (anti money laundering) policy.

~Bella

 

[Arc F1]

.... Why do you never tell the stories of the regular everyday black people?....

Thats the question that needs to be answered.

I think I just did. I just get tired of all these media articles and comments that make blacks out to be victims. Out of all the business owners i associated with the ones that were black made way more than I did. My top employee was black. He was paid more and was smarter than any other electrician I had. I just don't buy into this narrative that it's a problem with skin color holding people back. All the problems we are seeing have more to do with low income neighborhoods than it does with skin color.

 

[-57]

I think I just did. I just get tired of all these media articles and comments that make blacks out to be victims. Out of all the business owners i associated with the ones that were black made way more than I did. My top employee was black. He was paid more and was smarter than any other electrician I had. I just don't buy into this narrative that it's a problem with skin color holding people back. All the problems we are seeing have more to do with low income neighborhoods than it does with skin color.

I believe there is an intentional race wedge being driven into the USA.

 

[Ken-1122]

'Banking While Black': How Cashing a Check Can Be a Minefield


This is one reason why I am thankful for direct deposit, less headache and fewer issues.

Are you suggesting this bank is in the business of harassing black people who make transactions as small as $200? Are you kidding me? I challenge you to find a single black person who is afraid to make a $200 transaction at a bank.

 

[bèlla]

I think I just did. I just get tired of all these media articles and comments that make blacks out to be victims.

Victimization creates a stasis and fosters dependency. You can't grow or scale with that mindset. Never will and gonna are poisonous. I avoid limited thinking on all levels.

I read a lot of biographies on successful people and surround myself with men and women who are crushing it. No excuses. Owning their plenty and mistakes. We feed off one another. Sometimes you have to be the lone O in a sea of X's and push.

If you keep company with doers you don't hear stuff like this. They have their head down and they're grinding and pursuing their dreams. You know the old adage, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. That's true.

You must be intentional about your consumption and association. That's a casualty of war. You can't absorb everything without risk of infection or compromise.

~Bella

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Banks have policies. My bank, of more than 20 years at the time, ran me through the wringer when I tried to deposit $30,000 in $100 bills. I guess they suspected that I was a drug dealer.

 

[Hammster]

Banks have policies. My bank, of more than 20 years at the time, ran me through the wringer when I tried to deposit $30,000 in $100 bills. I guess they suspected that I was a drug dealer.

Your anecdote<black person’s anecdote.

 

[SummerMadness]

You have got to look farther into what's going on. A lot of the problems you see as only being about blacks is actually a poor person problem. Go to a poor white neighborhood and you will find high rates of police activity and yes they even kill unarmed white men. Raise up the less fortunate of all races and you will see most of the problems disappear. We have got to start seeing each other as equal.

It's obvious that you haven't read any studies on issues of racism. The reason why they know it's not just about poverty is because when controlling for poverty level, income, crime in the area, etc., there is still a disproportionate effect on Black people, which suggests that racism is still an issue. People seem to be more upset that racism is mentioned than by the fact that racism has been demonstrated in numerous studies. The inequality is not from being in a poor neighborhood or whatever excuse is used to paper over racism.

 

[SummerMadness]

Detroit bank calls police on black man depositing cheque

Sauntore Thomas was trying to deposit the cheques from the settlement with his former employer.

However, a bank employee - herself African-American - refused and called the police on suspicion of fraud.

US bank 'sorry' for calling police on black man cashing pay cheque

Paul McCowns, 30, had gone to the Huntington Bank branch in Brooklyn, Ohio - a suburb of Cleveland - with his first cheque from his new job.

After providing two forms of ID and giving his fingerprints, as requested, the bank staff refused to cash the cheque, and asked him to leave.

Unbeknownst to Mr McCowns, they also called police who later detained him.

Banking while black: Minority business owners with better credit scores than white counterparts face worse treatment and more scrutiny

Black and Hispanic men seeking small business loans faced more scrutiny and worse treatment from bank officers than less qualified white men, according to a study released this week by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition.

The results demonstrate the challenges minority entrepreneurs face when trying to access additional capital to expand their businesses. The study also found declines in government-backed lending to black business owners, dropping from 8 percent to 3 percent of small-business loans between 2008 and 2016.

The organization sent teams of white, black and Hispanic “mystery shoppers” who acted as prospective borrowers to evaluate customer service interactions with the banks’ small business lending representative at 60 Los Angeles area banks. The testers had nearly identical business profiles and strong credit histories, with black and Hispanic testers possessing slightly better incomes, assets and credit scores than their white counterparts.

In almost every measure, white testers received superior customer service, the study found. Bank representatives asked white prospective borrowers fewer questions about eligibility and provided them more information about loan products.

Banks have policies, that even when complied with lead to police being called, this a problem. Despite pointing to other factors like income or credit scores, this doesn't not prevent unequal treatment. However, when this inequality is uncovered, some complain that the inequality is uncovered while still ignoring the inequality.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Your anecdote<black person’s anecdote.

As with all other posts in this thread, not enough information to make an informed judgment.

It seems that some banks are deliberately discouraging black banking business. Whyzat I wonder?

 

[Hammster]

As with all other posts in this thread, not enough information to make an informed judgment.

It seems that some banks are deliberately discouraging black banking business. Whyzat I wonder?

What banks?