at how uncaring our society has become.Saturday I stopped at an ATM and withdrew some money as I was meeting a friend for breakfast. One of the twenties I received had a man's name and full social security number written on it. Not once, but twice; once on each side of the bill in dark bold ink. I folded the bill and put it separate so I wouldn't spend it. I decided to act on this poor man's behalf when the banks were open on Monday.
Today I had to stop at the grocery store and inside the store is a branch of a bank. It is not my bank but I figured any bank would do for my purpose.
I went up to the counter and took out the bill. I explained to several of the tellers (who were getting ready to leave for the day as the bank was now closed) how I had received the bill and showed them the information it contained. I asked if they would take the bill when they reopened and send it in for destruction so as to protect this man's identity from thieves. She informed me that they could do that but that they could not give me another $20 in exchange for it. I guess my shocked look said it all. She stated that I should just go ahead and spend it....maybe I could try and scribble the information out if I wanted to.
Doesn't anyone care anymore? I bet you that if it had been HER information on that bill, she would have been more than happy to have exchanged it. I know banks submit worn out and partially destroyed bills all the time so they can be chopped up into confetti. Heck, the Feds even make money on selling little bags of that confetti.
Now I don't know if this man who's name is on the bill is a hateful soul or if his ex-wife or girlfriend just wants to cause him grief. I know nothing about him except for his name and social security number. I am going to go to my own bank and see what they say. If they give me the same answer.....then maybe I will just go to the news media with this. I think its disgraceful that human beings care so less about each other that they would let this valuable information float around out there.....free for the taking. Especially since the federal government has guidelines in place to deal with the disposal of money. You can be assured that the BANK doesn't take a loss.....they would get reimbursement by the government for the destroyed bill.
Stay tuned for the ending of this one. And Mr. M......you can rest assured that I will protect your information.....even if I have no other recourse than to mark it up so badly its absolutely impossible to read, which may make it non-negotiable. I just hope there aren't any more bills out there with your info on them.
Anyone have any ideas? Any bank tellers out there? Tell me what to do. I can't afford to lose $20 myself or I'd just destroy it and be done with it.
13 comments:
Take it to your bank, since it was their ATM that gave it to you and speak to the manager. Don't tell him about the other bank. I think it is just one of those situations were the teller made a judgement call. Or not!
Unbelievable! I think you should go to the news on this one. They are always giving us "tips" on how to protect ourselves. The bank (any bank) needs to be the first place a person should trust to be able to do this. Who cares if the bank was "closed" a manger should have resolved it right there. Grrrr! I don't have extra 20's laying around either, but I would never spend that one.
I think you should go to your own bank, and if they give you the same response, inform them you intend to go to the media. I just wonder how many hands this bill has gone through before it came to be in yours. Thank goodness, as they say, "the buck ends here!"
Yes, I agree that the entire world seems to be uncaring...which only leads me to what a miracle YOU are, to go to this trouble to protect a person you do not even know. :)
Hugs, friend.
go back to the bank,, get that teller name and write a letter to that bank and the Federal Researve Bank (showing him and his name as copy). This was not correct procedure. Good for you to push on past this uncaring person.
I'm practically speechless. I can actually understand a teller who didn't know what to do in a (hopefully) unfamiliar situation, but the venom and twisted mind that would do this to someone, is pretty horrifying, as well. And, since it was written on both sides of the bill, that would seem to be the case. And that is really sad, whether the guy "deserved" it or not.
Thanks for being the good and caring person you are.
Blessings,
Orea
http://orea-highervoice.blogspot.com/
How about just covering the information with black magic marker.
What was that person thinking of to write it there in the first place!
If you get stuck with counterfeit money you are out the money too.
For God's sake, don't go to the news with it!!!
Here's why: I just asked Joe "Do you remember your ex-wife's SS# ?"
LOL
If it gave me the idea, think how much trouble we'd be in if everyone knew to do this!!
First of all, I'm shocked that anyone would write that information on money...what the heck were they thinking? I'm even more shocked that a bank would actually hand it out to the public like that. I don't know whether the bank teller just made a foolish mistake or if they just don't care enough to make the correct decision. It's frightening to think that this may happen on a regular basis...especially in today's world where identity theft and all of that insane stuff happens all the time. I've gotten bills with a person's name scribbled on it or ones with some strange number...not a SS number, and I've always wondered who wrote it...and why. I definitely think you should ask your bank about it. ~Joy
I wonder if it was an experiment, if that was his real SS #, or if he just wanted to see what would happen. I like the vengeful ex idea, though.
I saw that there was bad weather near where you are...are you alright? I don't think we ignore weather warnings the way we used to, not after this year...
so just checking in on you. Also, because you haven't been around. Please let me know what's happening. Biggest hugs. :)
As far as I know, defacing legal tender is illegal. Take it to your bank and talk to the manager. This bill should be taken out of circulation and you should not be responsible for destroying it since you got it in good faith.
I'm reading this story backwards. This is horrible. I hope you send a copy of this to the bank president at least...
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