Cleveland man alleges racial profiling after bank refuses to cash check, calls 911

[SummerMadness]

Cleveland man alleges racial profiling after bank refuses to cash check, calls 911

A Cleveland man says he was racially profiled at a local branch when they called the cops on him for trying to cash a check.

Paul McCowns tells Cleveland 19 he went to the Huntington branch inside Giant Eagle on Biddulph Ave in Brooklyn on December 1st.

McCowns said this was the first check from his new job with an electric company.

He was asked for two forms of ID, which both he and bank employees confirm he provided. The bank says McCowns also provided a fingerprint, per bank policy for non-Huntington customers who wish to cash checks.

The paycheck was for a little more than $1,000. Tellers told him they couldn’t cash it. So, McCowns said he left the bank.

“I get in my truck and the squad car pull in front of me and he says get out the car,” McCowns said.

What he didn’t know is that as he was leaving the bank, employees called 911 on him. Cleveland 19 obtained a copy of the 911 call and police report.

When someone provides ID, fingerprints and the name of the business, it's probably a good indicator that someone is not cashing a fraudulent check. Why would they provide you with all that forensic evidence if they were committing fraud? The "hyper vigilant" argument is pure garbage (of course we know that some will defend that lie hook, line and sinker).

 

[Kaon]

Cleveland man alleges racial profiling after bank refuses to cash check, calls 911

When someone provides ID, fingerprints and the name of the business, it's probably a good indicator that someone is not cashing a fraudulent check. Why would they provide you with all that forensic evidence if they were committing fraud? The "hyper vigilant" argument is pure garbage (of course we know that some will defend that lie hook, line and sinker).

Look at him...

Unfortunately, this is par the course for an American that looks like him. There is just media to capture it more often.

 

[Dave-W]

"Hyper vigilant?" "Highest ethical standards?"

What a bunch of verbal garbage.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

They could have just run the check; the police did with no problem. Anyway he did cash the check, and got his apology. It's all good.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Fraudulent 911 call…


“He’s trying to cash a check and the check is fraudulent. It does not match our records,” said the teller to a 911 operator.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

They could have just run the check; the police did with no problem. Anyway he did cash the check, and got his apology. It's all good.

Nope. When the bank slings him a lazy $10k and sends him on a holiday to recover, then it's all good. Otherwise it's just a corporation in damage control.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Nope. When the bank slings him a lazy $10k and sends him on a holiday to recover, then it's all good. Otherwise it's just a corporation in damage control.

All he wanted was an apology. And he did cash his check at another branch of the same bank. The reason the tellers freaked out is because of the fraudulent checks they were getting recently. It was hysteria among a few tellers, not bank policy.

 

[DaisyDay]

All he wanted was an apology.

That's half of it.

... and for the tellers to be held accountable.

Has that part happened?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Has that part happened?

They've all gone through a 'reeducation' process in that regard.

 

[DaisyDay]

They've all gone through a 'reeducation' process in that regard.

They had an innocent man arrested on false information and they got 'reeducation'? Which is what? And how is that holding them accountable?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

They had an innocent man arrested on false information and they got 'reeducation'? Which is what? And how is that holding them accountable?

They called 911. It was the decision of the police to detain him (he wasn't actually placed under arrest). Hell will freeze over before he gets an apology from them.

Who is charged with holding them 'accountable', and what does that even mean? Firing them, or beating them senseless?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

...on top of all of that, that's a gross misuse of what the 9-1-1 number is supposed to be used for.

That number should only be used for emergency situations. "I think a guy tried to pass a bad check, and has now left the bank" doesn't constitute an emergency scenario.


These aren't outlier scenarios, unfortunately and 'random' profiling (it's not random at all) happens far too often. I've witnessed double-standards first hand. Just recently, the GF (who's Indian, but often gets confused for being black and in some cases, middle eastern) and I went on vacation and went to a theme park. We each had backpacks of the same size. I didn't get searched a single time while we were there, she was searched at the gate before going in, and "randomly" selected for a random search by park security on 3 other occasions during our 8 hour stay at the park. She shrugged it off as "it happens a lot, it's no big deal"...which, I find kind of sad that it happens enough that the victims of it are desensitized to the fact that they're being singled out because of something out of their control. She said he happens fairly regularly in places like malls, etc... constant following and being watched like a hawk by security.

 

[DaisyDay]

They called 911. It was the decision of the police to detain him (he wasn't actually placed under arrest). Hell will freeze over before he gets an apology from them.

No one is blaming the police in this case. They acted professionally.

Who is charged with holding them 'accountable', and what does that even mean?

Their boss, whoever is in charge of the bank.

Firing them, or beating them senseless?

No need for extremes - how about a written apology to the gentleman they refused service to and tried to have arrested? Suspend them for a day?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

No need for extremes - how about a written apology to the gentleman they refused service to and tried to have arrested? Suspend them for a day?

That sounds fair.

 

[Ana the Ist]

The "hyper vigilant" argument is pure garbage (of course we know that some will defend that lie hook, line and sinker).

Because anything other than admitting to perceived racism is "pure garbage".

They've been accused of racism, they should admit to it.

Then we can get to the shaming portion of the story.

 

[SummerMadness]

No one is blaming the police in this case. They acted professionally.

Their boss, whoever is in charge of the bank.

No need for extremes - how about a written apology to the gentleman they refused service to and tried to have arrested? Suspend them for a day?

I think people fail to realize how ridiculously biased and unprofessionally these bank employees acted, they really should be fired. The argument they made is that previous incidents of fraudulent checks made them call the police. But can someone please tell me what this man did that would indicate he is committing check fraud? Because it seems as if the bank would be calling the police a lot over a pretty flimsy reasoning.

To lay it out:

• You provide your full name, two forms of identification, a fingerprint and if there is a problem they can contact the employer to ensure they can dispense funds.
• The man went through all those steps with the bank, but there was a problem with a number in their system, they don't quite explain what "in their system" means. Is he supposed to have a number? Is the employer supposed to have a number (odd question, I know because they called them up)? What in their system is missing?
• Regardless, what motivates you to call the police? You contacted the employer and did not reach the employer? Does that automatically equal fraud? Do you always call the police when you make a phone call and th employer doesn't pick up?

It seems like a big jump from an employer not picking up the phone means the person with the check is committing check fraud. What if the employer on the other end was out to lunch or in a meeting? They claim the check is not in their system, perhaps the bank employee typed in the number wrong, perhaps the employer typed in the number wrong (e.g., transposing a number in the account); you haven't verified if this is just an innocent mix-up. Nope, they default to calling the police claiming fraud is being committed.

The reason why their justification is weak is that after going through all the other steps where a person provides identification including providing forensic evidence, you suspect fraud simply because someone did not pick up the phone on the other end, which seems pretty scary. I might understand their call if he refused to follow every step required to cash the check, but he did nothing of the sort. I can imagine errors like a number not being "in the system" are not that out of the ordinary, especially because this guy is a new employee.

 

[S.O.J.I.A.]

and the slow but steady walk back to jim crowe continues..

 

[DaisyDay]

Because anything other than admitting to perceived racism is "pure garbage".

Do you believe that there was no racism involved in the employees calling the police on a man who cooperated with all their demands (two forms of id plus fingerprints)?

They've been accused of racism, they should admit to it.

Baloney. Their actions indicate racism - if they cannot justify their actions and attitude with a better, plausible explanation then it probably is racism - Occam's razor.

Then we can get to the shaming portion of the story.

The shame and humiliation were heaped on the man refused service and temporarily detained. Does that not factor into your view on the incident?

 

[Ana the Ist]

Do you believe that there was no racism involved in the employees calling the police on a man who cooperated with all their demands (two forms of id plus fingerprints)?

Probably not....no.

Baloney. Their actions indicate racism - if they cannot justify their actions and attitude with a better, plausible explanation then it probably is racism - Occam's razor.!

Sure sure...it's definitely racism...

As long as they weren't defrauded a dozen times in the past few months.

As long as this guy wasn't cashing a check with no history at the bank or confirmation from the employer.

As long as there haven't been massive fake check fraud rings run by black men in northeast ohio where they defrauded institutions 500-2000$ at a time....this year!

37 people indicted in huge counterfeit check cashing ring

I mean, it's not as if Huntington Bank has seen a recent increase in check fraud and similar scams...

Local checkbook fraud up due to phishing scams

I'll give you this...blaming it on racism is certainly the easiest, laziest, answer that doesn't require any real consideration of the people being smeared by accusations and let's you signal the most virtue.

Occam would be proud.

 

[ItIsFinished!]

and the slow but steady walk back to jim crowe continues..

Do you really think this post is reasonable?
Seriously, do you?