The Notorious Banker

I give you some brief thoughts on the Gamestop situation, and how in a weird way, I am glad so many thousands of people are seeing the hypocrisy of the system which pretends to give people equal opportunity to invest in things to only handcuff them when it isn't going the best for hedge funds who were left exposed by the recent Reddit posts and subsequent trades on RobinHood and other places Regarding Gamestop, AMC, and other stocks!

I discuss how BofA has been mysteriously screwing over clients with Merrill in this way for a while and I discuss how people won't forget the days they got screwed by sharing a couple stories from my investing past.

Plus I talk about Austin Weinstein's story in the Charlotte Observer about Wells Fargo employees feeling anxious about the ax coming down on them for potential job cuts that are likely to happen at Wells. (paywall) I discuss how employees in branch banking always feel that anxiousness, and I discuss small town NM Wells Fargos and how one city in NM (Eunice) was mentioned where I don't think Wells leaving is a big deal, but one town (Magdalena) where Wells leaving was horrible.

I discuss how it felt to wonder about possibly losing my job when I was at BofA when Moynihan put the "New BAC" in place a decade ago.

Plus I discuss how Bank of America is giving $150 Million to private funds for the purposes of their $1B commitment for Racial Equality, and how myself and a couple of African-America people in the banking industry doesn't feel like it solves anything. I discuss how BofA is known for giving in a sense to pass the buck when it comes to declining people of any color who have borrowing needs by allowing the receipients of those funds to do the dirty work.

I explain how BofA touts Minority Entrepreneurs in the press release, yet will not lend to any entrepreneurs for start-up companies in the branch unless they are in business for 2 years already with $250k Revenue. I discuss how this ends racial inequality and not drives it possibly deeper in the ground. 

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5600 FOLLOWERS

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

I discuss Brian Moynihan's comment on the conference call for Q4 earnings, where he said, "2020 was a good year."

Of course he was meaning $18 Billion in profit, slightly less than last year, but with less expenses like branches open, etc.

But I go over a laundry list of bad things that Bank of America did in 2020 to make it a bad year for their clients, ignoring the obvious things in today's news.

Article by Austin Weinstein of the Charlotte Observer referencing it

Imani Moise Tweeting about it.

Plus,

 Bank of America made $18 Billion in Covid Ravaged 2020, and they were still generous to their employees. (Rolls Eyes)

This is less than $1000 they gave the last 3 years, and 1/3 of what I got 15 years ago. BofA cites Covid as the reason for the reward, giving people money for their hard work, yet at the same time, cut pandemic pay in October to its branch associates. CNBC article also mentions the $20 minimum wage, which BofA fast-tracked to get phony kudos on the onset of Covid. They also mention the childcare benefits that always were at Bank of America, instead BofA repackaged them to appear to give employees add'l Covid Relief.

BofA loves patting itself on the back, giving less, when they are still making so much more!

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5600 FOLLOWERS

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

I first address the big purge of followers we all had on Twiiter after the President was banned from Twitter and how my demographics are impacted!

Yours truly helped someone locally here in Southern NM recover a $7000 check from Bank of America that would be held for 12 days in 12 hours! Bank of America has policies that require you to deposit checks when you don't have enough to cover them, and then when you deposit them, they place holds after they process, screwing you in the process. I exploited loser BofA associates in my neck of the woods in getting help for a man named Chuck. It was exhilarating and I once again prove, I am the best banker out there! :) I explain the policy in the first segment.

We then talk about Wells Fargo's earnings via an Austin Weinstein story in the Charlotte Observer. We talk about how Wells Fargo, despite their scandal, made $3 Billion last quarter. We then discuss how 6400+ people have lost their jobs in Consumer Banking while only a small fraction of that lost their jobs in investment banking or wealth mgt. I then complain about the fact that despite the need to cut costs by sacrificing branches, and tellers inside branches, they added 2500 employees to WF "Corporate"...Wtf?!?!

Q4 Wells Fargo Earnings Report

Finally... we briefly riff on the now-retired General Counsel of Wells Fargo who was fined $3.5 Million for his role in the scandal of 2016. We talk about how the hits keep on coming. (Source: Another Austin Weinstein Article - Charlotte Observer)

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5600 FOLLOWERS

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

Note:

Bank of America weighed in on the Capitol Unrest on Wednesday, Hours after potential insurrectionists broke windows and infiltrated the Senate Floor. They preached a "peaceful transition".

According to Blogger Judd Legum, Bank of America has donated $500k to dozens of people who supports the case to stop certifying election results yet declined to comment if they will stop supporting them.

My podcast is about the way Bank of America can make customers hate them with the same exact news for both sides. We have experienced it before with the Private Prisons story, where BofA would announce it would no longer end weeks after they closed on a big loan from a Private Prison company.

They have also done it with the George Floyd incident which triggered their $1 Billion Commitment to "end racial inequality", though never correcting right-wingers who think they are donating to BLACK LIVES MATTER AS A TERRORIST DONATION.

It's so silly that Bank of America can't defend itself ever, and my opinion is that no matter the cause, they should stay out of politics! My opinion is that they know how to piss people from both sides of an argument off with the same news!

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5400 FOLLOWERS 33.4K LIKES!!!!!!

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

Everyone is wondering:

Where's my $600 Stimulus (or #Stimmy) as Twitter is calling it. It is leading to pissed off people and some hilarious memes (That I'm Sharing). I discuss more how big banks are talking to their customers about expectations.

Wells Fargo and Chase have been surprisingly good in tweeting links on basic info on how it works.

Bank of America is telling you that you need to save more as you are broke and without a job.

Plus, I talk about something interesting from Mastercard. They launched a program called True Name which allows Trans/Non-Binary people to get a credit card in the name they chose for themselves.

While I applaud the effort for inclusivity, the fact that it is only available on "Certain" Citi Cards tells me it's more a placation of preferred clients than a need to be more inclusive, as some of the more popular cards are not allowed to have the program.

I also discuss how Mastercard is selling the troubleshooting of issues that can arise if ID doesn't match card and a merchant refuses to help you. I discuss how Pollyanna-ish Mastercard is in assuming the world of business stops while a store owner is forced to call a number to verify you, which in turn puts your gender identity in full display of everyone within earshot. It's a hard topic, but I wanted to discuss it.

Plus, what the hell will happen in 2021? I give you some quick predictions! :)

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5400 FOLLOWERS 33.4K LIKES!!!!!!

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

First off -- HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO THIS PODCAST, FORMERLY KNOWN AS WHY YOUR BANK SUCKS. Thanks to the people who have downloaded my project hundreds of thousands of times! :) :)

We start off with an interesting story. Because of what was described as videos that "violate the terms of service" on their servers, Visa and Mastercard announced last week that they would stop accepting payments for Pornhub, the world's most renowned adult website. Although I understand the decision, which comes on the heels of Pornhub removing all user uploaded content, it seems very harsh to go after a company like that, when there are 100s of other similar sites that are less policed where you could see harsher sexual content.

 I talk about my knowledge of the adult industry and how this is going to kill Onlyfans in a year or two, because of CC Companies policing who they want to do business with. I also talk about banks roles in this and some stories of porn situations at BofA.

CNN BUSINESS ARTICLE

Then I talk about my experience at Bank of America's ATM last week when I went to deposit money. I was told of new software that was installed, leading to a lot of complaints to me on Twitter. I finally used it and holy cow! It's as bad as people say. I describe what I don't like and how those things can actually cause the customer to lose money! It's not good.

Plus, I reminisce about my first podcast where we talked about the Bank of America ATM in Houston that was spitting out 100s instead of 10s and how a Bank of America insider at the fraud dept told me EXACTLY what happened!!!

News Article of that Story

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker - 5400 FOLLOWERS 33.4K LIKES!!!!!!

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

I got an email from a listener who told me that I should talk about the new Chase First account, which is an account that is targeting the parents of kids 6-13 years old, by offering an account that allows their kids to "learn about banking".

Chase First Banking Account Info

Chase First Account Schedule of Fees (PDF)

Ironically, that age range doesn't allow online banking for email/privacy concerns, so any learning will have to still be procured by the parent, meaning Chase isn't really doing much but adding another account to the tally.

I go into the numerous issues I have with this, from kids not actually learning the value of a dollar, to the prompting system parents have to "approve" transactions from their kids who are away, to the simple fact that I can use this account as a means of setting up "chores" to be completed to pay off my imaginary kid as an ingenious way of itemizing a drug selling or any illicit sales operation, complete with code words.

I also ponder how one parent can open this account as a means of hiding spending for the purposes of an affair they may be having. I've outlined it all on a long discussion about this.

Plus

I discuss more California EDD Unemployment BS. A Newsweek article talks about the $2 Billion BofA and the state claim is fraudulent payments. While I agree there is fraud, I talk more about the people who were victims who are not being helped by BofA in this issue. It's crazy and must be addressed.

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

Kurt Phelps, a Market Executive at Bank of America in NYC (A role similar to my old boss who fired me) arrested for asking for and taking hundreds of thousands of dollars of bribes from business customers. He was taking them to "Coach and coax" business loans through the system that would not meet qualifications. This also leads to speculation of the bribes going to others as well.

Austin Weinstein's Article here (Charlotte Observer)

I discuss how this may actually be the reason a lot of low-end customers can't even get loans or even a conversation. I also talk about greed and the notion that he was double dipping on these loans, because since he has goals and bonuses, he was getting compensated by Bank of America as well. 

Plus, I talk about how unique it was that Bank of America admitted publicly that this happened. Plus, I laugh at how the court case mentions BofA as a "victim". LOL

Also, I disclose that I have had an interview in regards to the California EDD Unemployment Card Story. I spoke as an "expert" on how Bank of America could possibly be ruining thousands of lives with their apathy in helping customers in California. I talked over an hour and a half about what I know and think, and I mentioned that I couldn't help people with "Vigilante Customer Service" because it was bigger than me at that point. Check out my Youtube Video about it, and stay tuned for the article.

Meanwhile, Here's an older article about it from CalMatters.

(I apologize for the quality of audio on the first segment about the Bribe story. My computer sucks and I am looking to improve my memory so it didn't drop out like it did a couple times. You won't miss anything pertinent)

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

Interesting story about debt collectors being able to contact you on social media happened in the past two weeks. I think this is a scary thing, but not just for the privacy reasons a lot of you are thinking about. I have a feeling that debt collectors amping up the pressure on you can hurt your mental health, especially if using social media as an escape from reality.

CBS NEWS STORY HERE

Plus, as of Monday Wells Fargo will end instant issue (temporary) debit cards, which means upwards of a one-week wait before you fully get to use a new account or use your current account should your card get compromised. I discuss how this is more a means to get the "average" customer (read: poor) from opening a bank account, citing delays in using their money the way they want to. I discuss BofA's similar disdain for Temp Cards as well.

ARTICLE HERE

Finally, I share my reviews of 2 podcasts that came out about Wells Fargo in the last couple months. Washington Post's own Karen Attiah was interviewed by Slate for a podcast about the history of Wells Fargo. As a person who was very vocal about Wells in light of CEO Scharf's comments this fall, she shares her story of how she got to and hung around with Wells Fargo throughout the years until recently because of the Scharf comments. The story of Karen getting her first account hit me close to home, because as a salesman in a college town bank, I know that rite of passage that kids go through.

Plus I review the Finreg Podcast, with Jeff Rucker and Lee Reiners. They interview Dick Kovacevich, who was the CEO of Wells before Scharf and literally wrote the playbook on cross-selling. I discuss how insane some of his points are in the great podcast, including his insistence of no knowledge of impropriety by Wells Fargo or him while at the helm in regards to the Unauthorized (Fake) Accounts Scandal. It's an insane 80 minute podcast.

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)

We've talked about how much Wells Fargo and CEO of Wells Fargo until 2016, John Stumpf sucks for the "unauthorized account scandal" of 2016. He was fined and banned by the OCC in January and fined $2.5 Million again this past week. But I talk about why he should be in jail.

But I did something in this podcast. I talk about his ascent to the top of Wells Fargo, which included a stop in my home state of New Mexico, and the real possibility that he had conversations with an aunt of mine, who was on the board of directors of a bank acquired by a company that became Wells Fargo. I try to figure out why his upbringing led him to a life of crime and why being 1 of 11 kids and bottom of your class in high school will push you to never feel that way again, and let your unethical flag fly.

I speculate how Wells Fargo should change their name like Valujet did in the mid 1990s to avoid scrutiny from a fatal plane crash.

Plus, I talk about Vigilante Customer Service with Giselle. A customer screwed over by Evil Zelle and Bank of America for only $299, but it's the nature of how they blew her off blew my mind! 

All My Links HERE

MY PATREON Page! For as little as $1, you can help James in his fight against big banks. http://patreon.com/NotoriousBanker

TheNotoriousBanker.com for detailed info on yours truly, and ways you can follow The Notorious Banker

The Notorious Banker is on TikTok - @NotoriousBanker

Youtube Channel - Click Here

Sponsors [email protected]  - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.

Visit our Twitter Page @BankBetterGuy -  Bank Advice, humor, observations, deals and  VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE & Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright

Voicemail Line: 575-322-4127 (3M Max)