No ChexSystems Bank

 

Many ChexSystems-free banks will accept perfectly good customers that no ChexSystem bank ever would.  Get the skinny on this major discrepancy in this article.

 

If you didn’t know about it by now, it’s time you did.  If you do know about it, it’s probably not a good thing.  You probably just applied for your full ChexSystems report online, and are waiting for that redundant piece of paper.  You should know that ChexSystems is a fairly simple, relatively draconian, and often erroneous software system employed by around 80% of the banks in this country.  In some areas of the country, there are no ChexsySystems banks anywhere, while elsewhere it’s nearly impossible to find banks without ChexSystems. 

 

Not Very Complicated

 

Okay, we all know that it’s important not to bounce any checks.  And it’s also very important to keep things on the level with any banking institution with which you may be involved.  It’s just that the table is not exactly tilted in your favor.  Banks these days most definitely take advantage of all the technology that they can get their hands upon, and don’t really give their average customers the same benefit. 

So when you’re getting lower in your balance, yeah, it’s important to keep an eye on your funds.  But it’s not like those banks don’t want to rake in your overdraft fee.  It’s a little bit counterintuitive, why so many banks would have heavy overdraft fees but would employ software that tries to keep potential overdrafters from joining… the biggest profiteer of overdraft charges will definitely be no chexsystems bank, that’s for sure.

 
The Decision isn’t Easy

But at least banks without chexsystems will accept you as a customer if you’ve already had a couple of problems.  No ChexSystems Bank is going to do that.  Except for that rare occasion where you come into a large chunk of cash, when you’re already on the ChexSystems blacklist, it doesn’t matter how much money you want to deposit into your new account, you’re not going to be able to do it.  Yes, it’s important for banks to protect themselves.  It’s just that the defense system is so loaded with awful repercussions, for such a large portion of the population, it probably creates more social ills than it prevents.

 

We aren’t trying to do a sociological study here, however.  No matter how well or poorly you are able to articulate them, the negative consequences of inhuman devices like Chexsystems to a liberal society are obvious.  No, we’re not putting on a self-congratulatory symposium here… we just want to inform you about the availability of ways around and alternatives to ChexSystems. 

Be a Gadfly

The anti-ChexSystems technique that gets our highest recommendations would have to be the avoid-and-annoy method.  First, find whatever alternative there is out there, and go with it.  It’s your only way around it, so take it.  Then, inform as many people about the inhuman practices associated with ChexSystems, and suggest they change their bank to one that doesn’t employ the blacklist. 

 

It doesn’t stop with that.  Go to the website and apply for your ChexSystems report online.  On the same site will be their customer service number.  If you have time, call them up and figure out a way to actually talk to a human.  Then have at them with as many candid questions as you can conjure.