Been Denied for a Bank Account Recently? A Bad Chex Systems Report is Most Likely to Blame.
According to Wikipedia, Chex Systems is an, "eFunds check
verification service and consumer credit reporting agency like Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. While most credit
reporting agencies broker data about how a consumer handles credit relationships, Chex Systems provides data related
to how a consumer has handled deposit accounts at banking institutions."
In a nutshell, you have currently have or have ever had a checking or savings account through a bank, and have
written a bad check
or been slapped with an overdraft fee due to insufficient funds or NSF in the past, most likely that negative
activity has been reported to Chex System. Over 80% of all banks in American utilize Chex Systems, and the majority
of them will not open a new deposit account, either saving or
checking account, for any individual that has a negative item reported.
Unfortunately for consumers, unlike traditional credit bureaus which report good and bad history, Chex Systems only
reports negative banking transactions and does not provide a score, like traditional credit bureaus, making it virtually
impossible for people with past banking problem to open a new bank account. The good news is that if the reason you were
denied to open a bank account was because of a bad Chex Systems report, the bank must disclose this information to you,
and you can obtain a
free copy of your Chex System report and dispute any claims.
But for many individuals fed up with Chex Systems and traditional banks, prepaid debit cards
are becoming their preferred financial partner. Prepaid debit cards act very similar to traditional debit cards, in the fact that
they are accepted virtually anywhere in the world, allow you free online access to track your expenses and pay bills, and employers
can directly deposit funds or wages onto your card instead of issuing you a paper check. The positive difference is that you don't need
good credit history and/or Chex Systems report to be approved, and more importantly, you will NEVER be charged insufficient funds fees
because purchases that are more than the funds you have available will not be processed.