Consumer complaint received 2018-01-26
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: WA
Product: Credit reporting, credit repair services, or other personal consumer reports
Sub-product: Credit reporting
Issue: Improper use of your report
Sub-issue: Reporting company used your report improperly

Complaint:
Hello, I have for the past six years taken my payroll checks that are drawn against US Bank to cash. I have always given my finger print and valid driver 's license with no problems cashing the checks. I work for a XXXX XXXX XXXX  and they Bank with US Bank. There has additionally always been a fee to cash the checks which I have not questioned paying. 

Recently I was asked to provide my social security number, phone number and asked what I do for a living. I asked why I had to provide these and was told by the bank manager that the Federal Government is now requiring this information in addition to the above listed requirements. I was also told that this information was being imputed into a data base. I was very uncomfortable giving out my social security number. And further more uncomfortable having to say it out loud with a line of people behind me. 

I have done some research by looking up the FDIC law and regulations under Part 1020-Rule for Banks. Everything I read within the Rules Section 1020-100 through 1020-500 indicates that the bank is to collect this additional information when a person is opening an account. It clearly states in section 1020.220 ( 2 ) i " An account does not include a product or service where a formal banking relationship is not established with a  person, such as check cashing, wire transfer, or sale of a check or money order. 

Additionally under section 1020.410 ( b ) 5 " Records to be made and retained by banks '' 1020.410 ( b ) 5 clearly states : The rules and regulations issued by the Internal Revenue Service under section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 shall determine what constitutes a taxpayer identification number and whose number shall be obtained in the case of an account maintained by one or more persons. ( Again a rule for account holders which I am not ) Furthermore 1020.410 ( c ) 3 states that a record of a persons tax payer identification ( social security number ) should be retained by the bank if " Each check, clean draft or money order drawn on the bank or issued and payable by it, EXCEPT those drawn for {$100.00} dollars or less OR those drawn on accounts which can be expected to have have drawn on them an average of at least 100 checks per month over the calendar year OR on each occasion on which such checks are issued and which are : 3 ( ii ) Payroll checks 3 ( vi ) checks drawn on government agency accounts.

My checks are exempt from being required to provide my social security number under these exceptions 1020.410 ( b ) 3 ( ii ) and 1020.410 ( b ) 3 ( vi ).

I believe that US Bank is misrepresenting and wrongfully enforcing the FDIC regulations by requiring a person to provide their social security number and career information. I was told that if I did not provide both of these in addition to my valid driver 's license and finger print they would refuse to cash my check.

Thank you for looking into this complaint. Any feedback would be  appreciated. 

The Bank manager 's name is XXXX XXXX. phone number : XXXX The Bank was the US Bank - XXXX Main Branch

Company public response: Company has responded to the consumer and the CFPB and chooses not to provide a public response
Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation