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transitive bank charges
Dec. 19th, 2006 11:55 amAnd how trust is *not* transitive.
As some of you know, a number of years back I had some trouble with the tax folks. When the dust cleared, my bank account was closed and I'd been reported to the clearinghouse banks use (rather like the credit reporting agencies).
So a few years later, my mother died and I couldn't open an account to deposit the inheritance check. So a good and trusted friend opened a joint savings account with me.
More years pass, the bad report is expired and I have my own checking account. I left the savings account joint, because since I don't have will, at l;east the money would go someplace I wanted if I died before getting around to drawing one up.
And it was convenient for making loans to my friend.
Well, her brother is a flake, And for reasons I won't go into, she set up a joint *checking* account with him. Which I didn't know about.
Today, she called me, in a panic. He's screwed up big time and overdrawn their account to the tiune of over $2000. And the overdraft charges are still piling up. Worse, the bank has taken the charges out of "our" savings account.
So, I get to go to the bank and get her removed from the account. And try for further damage control.
Her brother is off hiding, and this has totally messed up her life as she's likely going to lose a lot by the time the dust settles.
On the other hand, we have the proverbial 800 pound gorilla to use on him. You see, he's on parole.. so if he *doesn't* contact her soon...
Alas, we can't sell his kidneys or something to get back the money. Tempting as it is.
The moral is You may be able to trust a friend. But can you trust the people they trust?
As some of you know, a number of years back I had some trouble with the tax folks. When the dust cleared, my bank account was closed and I'd been reported to the clearinghouse banks use (rather like the credit reporting agencies).
So a few years later, my mother died and I couldn't open an account to deposit the inheritance check. So a good and trusted friend opened a joint savings account with me.
More years pass, the bad report is expired and I have my own checking account. I left the savings account joint, because since I don't have will, at l;east the money would go someplace I wanted if I died before getting around to drawing one up.
And it was convenient for making loans to my friend.
Well, her brother is a flake, And for reasons I won't go into, she set up a joint *checking* account with him. Which I didn't know about.
Today, she called me, in a panic. He's screwed up big time and overdrawn their account to the tiune of over $2000. And the overdraft charges are still piling up. Worse, the bank has taken the charges out of "our" savings account.
So, I get to go to the bank and get her removed from the account. And try for further damage control.
Her brother is off hiding, and this has totally messed up her life as she's likely going to lose a lot by the time the dust settles.
On the other hand, we have the proverbial 800 pound gorilla to use on him. You see, he's on parole.. so if he *doesn't* contact her soon...
Alas, we can't sell his kidneys or something to get back the money. Tempting as it is.
The moral is You may be able to trust a friend. But can you trust the people they trust?
