Protecting your information is one thing...

[Ghel]

Lulu* originally came in last week because her CD was about to mature and she wanted to let it automatically renew. I told her that we needed to change it because the bank changed hands (and the new bank has slightly different terms on their CDs). She grumbled a bit, but agreed to come back with the original CD.

Today, Lulu came back in saying that she can't find the CD. No big deal, I say, I can type up a Lost CD form. So I do that and have her sign, after reading all the small print (which isn't sucky) even though I told her it doesn't apply to her (which is kinda sucky). Then she decides to take $50,000 out of the CD and has me do a new CD for the rest. Ok so far.

Lulu is one of these folks who come into the bank wearing a 50-year-old coat and gloves with holes in the fingers, but has $90,000 on deposit. And that's the only account she has with us, so she likely has money elsewhere, too. While I'm working on her CD, she pulls a calculator out of her purse to figure out how much interest she's going to earn.

Now to the heart of the post. When Lulu took the old CD out, 11 years ago, we weren't as strict with what information we needed, so there were a few gaps I needed filled.

Me: Ok, I need to get some more information for the new CD. What is your street address?
Lulu: ...
Me: <expectant look> ...
Lulu: 132 Sarasota Blvd
Me: Thank you.
Lulu: But I still want everything to go to my PO box.
Me: No problem. Box 456, right?
Lulu: Yes.
Me: Ok. We'll do that. We just need to have your physical address. What is your date of birth?
Lulu: You don't need that!
Me: Actually, I do.
Lulu: ...
Me: I can't do the CD without it.
Lulu: <whispering> 3-11-19 ... 32. And I'm not giving you my driver's license.
Me: Well, we have been collecting driver's license numbers --
Lulu: from new customers?
Me: No, all customers. But if you don't want to give it, that's ok. <It was hard enough to get information from her. I wasn't going to press it. It was a good thing we already had her social security number!>
Me: Now for your son. What's his address?
Lulu: The same.
Me: Ok. And his date of birth?
Lulu: I'm not giving you that!
Me: <We already have his social security number, and you're going to balk on his date of birth?> I have to have it.
Lulu: <Tries to stare me down. I don't budge.> What if I put him on as beneficiary instead of joint owner.
Me: Then we don't need it.
Lulu: Ok. Let's do that.

So I change the son to beneficiary and print out the new CD while Lulu complains about interest rates, the election, and how the news reports unemployment statistics. I go over the CD with her, then go get the money order for the portion she's taking out.

Lulu: I suppose they'll tell me your signature is no good.
Me: Not unless they know something I don't.

She's cordial after that and thanks me for helping her. As she leaves, she enters the drawing for a free turkey. $50,000 check in her purse, but she needs a free turkey.


*Name and other identifying information changed to protect the privacy of the annoying.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Sounds like someone is suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, I know a lot of older people who are exactly like that due to living through the Great Depression, or had parents who did and the habits rubbed off.

[emax4]

Lose the attitude Lulu. I would have been tempted to tell her, "I'm trying to help you here, but we make the rules, not the customer. If you're not going to give me the information, then we are done here."

[Gurndigarn]

Sounds like someone is suffering from the effects of the Great Depression, I know a lot of older people who are exactly like that due to living through the Great Depression, or had parents who did and the habits rubbed off.

Keep in mind... she has money at this point in her life, so she's obviously doing something right, monetarily. That's better than probably 90% of the nation.

Lose the attitude Lulu. I would have been tempted to tell her, "I'm trying to help you here, but we make the rules, not the customer. If you're not going to give me the information, then we are done here."

Then you probably would have lost a well-heeled customer for the bank. You know, the type of customer that actually makes a bank money. For no good reason.

I mean, yes, it's annoying when people refuse to give you information that you need. Especially when it's a legal need, and one you can't avoid. But how many posts here have been complaints about companies asking us to collect more personal information from a customer than is needed? Or even practical? It's not surprising that some people rebel. I know I do it-- sometimes, sad to say, to the point of suckiness. And in this case, she's asking an old woman about her age. And-- just as a possible aside-- she might have an embarrassing personal reason for not wanting to admit what year her son was born in.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Keep in mind... she has money at this point in her life, so she's obviously doing something right, monetarily. That's better than probably 90% of the nation.

Exactly, but the fact that she's wearing a 50-year old coat, is wearing gloves that have holes in them, and is applying for a raffle to get a free turkey says to me Great Depression mindset. No matter how much they have they will keep skrimping and saving and reusing and it wouldn't surprise me if the money she took out she was going to use to open another savings account to squirrel it away just in case.

That's the Great Depression mindset.

[EricKei]

It could also be that she has serious moolah but doesn't want anybody to KNOW she's loaded, maybe ???

[emax4]

Then you probably would have lost a well-heeled customer for the bank. You know, the type of customer that actually makes a bank money. For no good reason.

Right, but she's not the only customer for the bank. If that were the case, you would have to look for another job when she dies. Move on to another bank, and you might find another customer with the same mindset and rude manners. What if you flat-out quit, then go to another bank and discover that same person has another account there?

Remember, just because she brings in a lot of money doesn't give her any authority over management or equal to management to break or bend the rules.

[Ghel]

I think part of it is Depression mindset. Around here, there was another huge recession when the mines shut down in the late 70s / early 80s. A lot more people remember that than the Great Depression.

For a woman who's 80 years old, she seems to be in good health and sound mind. If she hadn't told me her birthdate, I would have guessed she was 60, tops. But again, it's just a number to me. I have to have it by regulation, otherwise I wouldn't care. In fact, part of the reason I didn't press her for her driver's license is because it's bank policy to ask for it, not federal regulation.

Again, I have to have certain pieces of information by federal regulation: full name, physical address, phone number, social security number, and date of birth. If I don't get all of these, I cannot open the account. Even if I wanted to, I can't bypass that. I can't open an account for a newborn if they haven't gotten their social security number yet. I can't open an account for someone who refuses to give me their social security number. And so on.

I'm glad she wasn't a new customer. I have to get 2 forms of ID from all new customers, by regulation, and one has to be a photo ID. And if it took that much prying to get her birthdate from her, I can only imagine what she'd do if I asked for her social security number or a photo ID. As it went, I expected her to say, "I'm not giving you that information! Just give me my money, I'm taking it elsewhere! GARBLENARF!" Which I would happily have done.

ETA: As for her having a lot of money on deposit, it really doesn't matter. The bank, and our branch specifically, is very deposit heavy. We're offering lower interest rates on CDs than average in our market because we just don't need the money. What we really need is loans, but we've been receiving very few loan applications.

[Dilorenzo]

$50,000 check in her purse, but she needs a free turkey.

Everybody likes free turkey.

[Andara Bledin]

Free food tastes better.

^-.-^

[dalesys]

Free food tastes better.

Which is why teenagers will eat everything in the fridge...

[EricKei]

Everybody likes free turkey.

I could use a free turduckhen. Been wanting to try one of those things since I first saw one, circa 20 years back at BoutiqueGrocery >_> When they only ran about sixty bucks raw. You don't wanna know what they cost if you wanted one pre-cooked...

[malmalthekiller]

Sounds like every customer at the bank I worked at.

[KatherineB]

Free food tastes better.

^-.-^

I also believe it has no calories.

[Seshat]

I could use a free turduckhen. Been wanting to try one of those things since I first saw one, circa 20 years back at BoutiqueGrocery >_> When they only ran about sixty bucks raw. You don't wanna know what they cost if you wanted one pre-cooked...

Maybe the best way to try it would be a serving from a restaurant?

I also believe it has no calories.

That's broken biscuits/cookies.