I'm really starting to get the notion that these excessive fees and such amount to a private tax. If the check is drawn on the bank and they are out to charge a fee to cash the check, that seems like a kind of unfair trade practice or a breech of trust. Some people might be astonished at the idea of banks having for the past 30 years or maybe more instead of existing to make it easier for folks to do transactions have pretty much gotten in the way. Like a bunch of Medieval tyrants blocking the way to an amusement park just because they can. For example, some bank's wont activate Wire Transfer. They dont tell you much at all about the services they offer. They do many things to impede. Some banks will block Fedwire transactions altogether. Some will refuse checks. But has seemed they've always been out to charge more fees for doing less of anything useful to the 'customer'. Some even charge a fee for calling customer service!
This obstinate bullheaded silliness has extended even to property managers who seem to think debit cards or credit cards are the only two sensible payment methods even for $3,000/month apartment leases. If a customer asks them their bank account so they can wire the payment they decline "Oh we can't give you that information". But yet they probably know the renter's SSN, DOB, high school of graduation, all employment information, bank name, bank account number, where they live (obviously), what car they drive, their license number, names of all of their children. What the ... ?
Why anyone would tolerate that kind of crap, I have no idea.
Same for car dealerships. Right from the start and without any transaction pending or guarantee that you'll get any car they want to lift your driver license and gather information about you. Turn around and ask them for their sales tax number, the state charter number, the exact legal name other than what's on the slick sign outside and you might gather gazes like you were Bruce Lee standing next to two lesbians holding hands at a KKK rally--even though almost every single English jurisdiction probably requires them to hang the information on the wall in a conspicuous place. That you are interested in identifying them specifically seems to be "offensive" to them as if by doing so you would be thwarting some kind of trickery. WHY EVER WOULD ANYONE TOLERATE THESE KINDS OF THINGS?
So here consider private tax through inconspicuous private notice but yet they conceal the information they are supposed to make conspicuous? Hmm.
It might be actionable under RICO that banks are attempting to strongarm money out of folks simply for having banks honor demands against them per customary commercial law. Seems like racketeering. If the check is drawn on BoA (constrictor?) remember BoA isn't a third party check cashing service then.
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