Consumer complaint received 2020-08-05
Company: U.S. BANCORP
State: OR
Product: Money transfer, virtual currency, or money service
Sub-product: Check cashing service
Issue: Problem with customer service

Complaint:
I am an XXXX in XXXX, Oregon. I had a XXXX who wrote a check to our XXXX XXXX  on his US Bank business account for {$10000.00}. On XX/XX/2020 in the morning, I had an authorized XXXX go to the bank ( located at XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, XXXX, OR ) so that he could cash the check and turn it into a cashier 's check. My XXXX was told that they could not cash the check because we did not have a business account with US Bank. My XXXX  stated that we were aware that there would be a fee and we were willing to pay whatever the fee was for cashing the check. I cash checks on a monthly basis at US Bank from clients and am aware of the fees. He was then told that they would be able to cash the check if we had a business account at US Bank. He left the bank frustrated with the original check. Because I own the XXXX, I went back to the same branch and said I needed to open a business account so I could cash the check and turn it into a cashier 's check. The assistant manager I was working with asked me if I had a business account elsewhere and I told him I did. He then asked why I wanted to open another business account. I told him that I did not understand why he was questioning me and that I simply wanted to complete my transaction. He took the check and walked over to another employee who said " Is this that same check? '' This employee looked at me from a distance for a while, said something I could not hear to the person I was working with, then came over to the desk. He began to question me about why I just didn't run it through my account at my bank. To say he was rude is an understatement. I told him that time was of the essence in a XXXX XXXX for my XXXX and that we needed to get the check converted to cash or a cashier 's check to complete a settlement. It was not his business to question me about a confidential XXXX XXXX   between my XXXXXXXX and I. I told him that I was there to open a business account so I could cash the check. He laughed and said " I am not interested opening a busniess account so you can cash this check. '' I asked him " why? '' and told him " I am not bank XXXX, I am simply trying to complete a settlement. '' I went to on to tell him that my XXXX had been told if we had a business account with US bank, there would be no issue. One of the employees looked up the XXXX XXXX account and verified that the funds were available.

I firmly believe that the reason these two people would not cash the check is because I am an XXXX   woman. My XXXX is a XXXX male and he was told that if the company had an account there or opened an account there, the check would be cashed. He had no authority to open an account for the company, so I went to open the account. But when I arrived, the story changed and I was refused the same service that was offered to a XXXX male. This is a blatant case of racism at it's worst. I have been an XXXX in this community for almost 25 years. I have never had an issue like this with any other bank or credit union when dealing with checks. I will not be treated in this manner because of the XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. Had my XXXX been the XXXX XXXX, this never would have happened. I am deeply troubled that they would treat anyone this way. They treated me like a thief or a scammer. It is unacceptable.

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