Consumer complaint received 2023-03-03
Company: Money Tree Lending
State: WA
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Unexpected or other fees

Complaint:
I received a check from a multi XXXX XXXX  vehicle manufacturer as a goodwill payment for {$6000.00}. I Went to the XXXX, Washington location to inquire about their check cashing fees and I was told by the teller that she would need to call the vehicle manufacturer and verify that they had issued me the check. It was after XXXX XXXX  at that point and their headquarters office was closed.Without any consent she took the check and made a copy of it. I told her I no longer was interested in their services and I left. The next morning I received a call from that locations manager to let me know that she had spoken with the manufacturer and confirmed that they had issued me the check. She told me that they were looking forward to cashing it for me and it would be at 2.99 %. 
I was very confused by this phone call because I never gave them any consent to contact the manufacturer and discuss this check. In order to receive this goodwill payment from them I had to sign a very strict disclosure agreement. 
Due to unforeseen circumstances with my own financial institution, I regretfully decided to go to the Money Tree location in XXXX, Washington and cash the check. I called prior to showing up there and was again quoted 2.99 % just like the manager from the XXXX location had quoted me. At this point I was so distressed by the situation that had just taken place at my own bank, I didn't realize that the teller charged me a 5.99 % fee to cash the check. 
{$350.00}. 
The next day I looked at my receipt and realized what had happened. I called Money Tree 's customer service center to confirm with a representative that it should have been 2.99 %. I went into the XXXX location with my receipt to speak to a manager. XXXX the assistant branch manager  was behind the counter and took no responsibility for anything, was incredibly rude and unprofessional, incapable of articulating a clear, concise explanation as to why I had been charged so much and then he proceeded to berate me about how I had even obtained the check. This is only the 2nd check I have ever cashed at money tree, I have no criminal history, I have no history of any type of check fraud or any type of fraud for that matter, I provided him with plenty of proper identification, etc. Apparently the manager from the XXXX location had not provided any details in my account about the conversation with the vehicle manufacturer, aside from the approval to cash it. XXXX then said he would be calling the XXXX manager to get clarification of exactly why I was issued the check. The XXXX manager said that she did not speak directly with manufacturer, the teller, whom I had specifically told I was not interested in using their services, had made the call and she claims the vehicle manufacturer told her that I was issued the check for selling their Headquarters office a vehicle. That is absolutely false, ( although would have fallen under the 2.99 % business check fee because that would have made me a " vendor '' and " vendor '' would have been equivalent to a " payroll " check according to Money Tree ) .I asked to speak to the manager and she proceeded to also treat me like a criminal and failed to provide a clear, concise explanation of why I was charged such an exorbitant fee. She asked me if I was a business owner and I said yes, I own an LLC because I'm a private XXXX. She asked to see my business license and she took it and proceeded to start entering all of the information into her computer. I have no idea why she was entering all of my business information into the computer without my consent, because she made it very clear that because the check was not written out to my business name she would not be changing the fee. 
I feel like the privacy of my personal information has been completely violated. I feel like the aggressive and repetitive questioning I received in regards to how I obtained the check was unlawful and it made me feel like a criminal not a customer. I asked XXXX why the receipt they had provided me with had no explanation of the check type they had used to determine the 5.99 % fee and why there was no explanation of the charges. I feel this is a violation pursuentRCW 31.45.060 LicenseeSchedule of fee and chargesRecordkeeping.

( 1 ) A schedule of the fees and the charges for the cashing and selling of checks, drafts, money orders, or other commercial paper serving the same purpose shall be conspicuously and continuously posted in every location licensed under this chapter. The licensee shall provide to its customer a receipt for each transaction. The receipt must include the name of the licensee, the type and amount of the transaction, and the fee or fees charged for the transaction.

Company response to consumer: Untimely response