INDEPENDENT BANK THE COUPLAND BANK WANTED TO CHARGE OUTRAGEOUS FEES FOR SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE COST THEM NOTHING Coupland, Texas

To the following agency, when the dust settles, since the more reports the greater the chance of getting government attention...

http://www.ftc.gov/reports/index.htm

Uncle's account: It's possible that the ex wife was still listed as an owner of the account. Or she may have been listed as POD, payable on death. Meaning when she showed proof of your uncle's passing the money in the account became hers. The bank didn't just "give her the money because they knew her". That would leave them open to a lawsuit from the heirs. The person appointed as executor of the estate can ask the bank why the money was released to the ex.

Cousin's account: When she tried to close the account the balance was in the negative by $100. The bank won't remove a name or allow an owner to close an account while it has a negative balance. If the account is one that has a monthly service fee then that fee will continue to be charged until the account is brought to zero and closed. Your cousin should have closed the account as soon as the divorce procedure started or at least as soon as he took the money before it became negative. And there's no longer a "debter's prison". If your cousin doesn't get this paid she would be jailed for nonpayment. But since it will be reported to the credit bureaus, she may have trouble opening an account at another bank, getting a job, getting approved for credit, etc. 

It was a very bad thing to happen to anyone.

Nice to hear from you again, Joe, Stacey, ramjet,and all of the other names you use.

I don't get on the desktop very often.

One working computer and seven people.

Well I do think that this is a first.  I have been accused of being an employee of various banks, and I think at least a couple of times accused of being Ramjet.  But this is probably the first time I have been told that I am actually Stacey or Joe.  Well I can assure you that I am my own person.

Anyways..I could say that your Rebuttal to my Rebuttal was even more interesting.

It looks like to me that whoever this is was depositing his or her paycheck in the bank account of the uncle is question in order to defray from the cost of his/her stay in the home of said uncle. This is not uncommon for certain Native American and Hispanic ethnic groups for families to pool the wealth as they originally formed familial groups in order to survive.

- Did you read what I wrote?  The OP was complaining that they did not freeze an account he was currently using.   You can't have it both ways, either it is frozen or not.  Do we know who was actually on the account?  Perhaps the Ex-wife was still on the account.  Yes, I am aware of certain customs in various "cultures", but last time I checked when someone opens an account they don't get different terms based on their family background.

The bank was going to charge her $100 to remove her name from the account and $100 to close the account, plus they were going to charge her $5.00 monthly for keeping the account open with a negative or no balance.  

- I guess reading comprehension wasn't your strong point.  As my question was what was the $100 fee for.  Yes that is what she "said" it was for.  But if she was mistaken about other things..could she have been mistaken about this as well...You bet.  I looked at the bank's site and couldn't find any thing with a $100 fee.  Do you know what is is for, or that they were going to charge her that fee at all?

I am not Ramjet, Robert, Joe or anyone else but me - Please don't bring my name into something I have no regard for Helene.

I have been following various persons who post on Rip Off Report for some time.

I think Robert and Stacey and Ramjet and JOE are the same person but, be that as it may. I think this is a rather interesting post.

It looks like to me that whoever this is was depositing his or her paycheck in the bank account of the uncle is question in order to defray from the cost of his/her stay in the home of said uncle.  This is not uncommon for certain Native American and Hispanic ethnic groups for families to pool the wealth as they originally formed familial groups in order to survive.

From what I can ascertain further,the female cousin was left destitute after her husband checked all the money out of the joint bank account, and she was had no transportation to the bank as he may have taken the only means of transport.

If the bank had hit the "delete" key on the computer, it would have cost them nothing and that is apparently what they ended up doing to close the account.

This unfortunate woman was left in the lurch with children and had to apply for a Texas emergency program for Needy Families. I do not know what all the letters stand for because I have had no experience with social programs for families.

From what he/ she reports, you have to show proof of all financial records and if the social service agency, which apparently has access to federal financial records, had found the joint bank account and if she had omitted mentioning on her emergency aid application, she could have been denied Food Stamps and other emergency assistance.

Even though there was no money in the account, she still had to mention it to the case worker.

She had no money. Her estranged husband took it all.

The bank was going to charge her $100 to remove her name from the account and $100 to close the account, plus they were going to charge her $5.00 monthly  for keeping the account open with a negative or no balance.

She was afraid that she was going to have to pay and she was afraid if she did not pay she would be put in jail. Shame that she thought that when it could have so easily been resolved by either her name being deleted or the account being deleted.

That is my takeaway from this cautionary tale.

I really wonder if this is a real report at all.  First off I know you are in Texas, but it is totally acceptable to turn off the CAPS when you write a report.  Because that just makes the entire report hard to read and understand.

But from what I could read.  Your Uncle died and you are complaining that they didn't freeze his account.  Yet, at the same time you were using this account, that should have been frozen, to deposit your paycheck and using it to pay taxes.  Exactly who's account was this?

Then onto your cousin.  I looked at the fee schedule for that bank and the only fee I found for closing an account is a $25 fee, and that fee only applies if the account is closed within 30 days of opening.  So exactly what was this $100 fee for?

You wouldn't by chance know someone named Joe from Austin would you?