The Notorious Banker

By James Baca

(FKA: Why Your Bank Sucks)

The Notorious Banker is a podcast from a banker who spent 13 yrs @ Bank of America in various roles, including manager. This podcast takes you into the greedy, seedy world... more

· Business

4.6

6262 ratings

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FAQs about The Notorious Banker:

How many episodes does The Notorious Banker have?

The podcast currently has 228 episodes available.

The Notorious Banker episodes:

August 11, 2019 Cash is King in a Small Town, Despite What Banks Say + Limit 1 Per Customer? A Bank Screwed US Voicemail
I have been off a week, thinking about the tragedies in my home area of El Paso and of course Dayton, OH
But I come back with 2 great stories!

Learn about how my anniversary trip to Ruidoso, NM (Pop. 7700) showed me that despite what banks say about the world going cashless and digital, cash is king in a small town. From casino slot machines to food trucks, and even campgrounds, paper currency is still ruling the day. Listen on how a trip to Walmart for snacks at 9pm gave me a window into the world of cash vs card. It surprised even me.

Also, we have a voicemail that literally stopped me in tracks during my trip. Our caller alerts us to a Bank of America in California that is limiting clients to only one transaction per day in their lobby. Learn how it has nothing to do with short staff, and everything to do with fudging the numbers to earn bonuses. How does a bank use the same lingo as a free alternative newspaper? Find out on our Bank Screwed US Voicemail Line!

You can tell us your horror story about banking, leave a comment, question or whatever to 575-322-4127 and your call will make our podcast!

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
...more
53min
August 05, 2019 El Paso Strong- Understanding Charitable Donations, and Gofundme During a Difficult Time
Our minds are with the city of El Paso, TX after this weekend's tragic events. I know the town is resilient, and we will be thinking about them often.
To begin, I discuss how I was feet from that Walmart last week, and I discuss another unfortunate mass murder I was within a mile of a few years back.
This podcast mainly is more about citizens understanding how to effectively contribute. So many people will create fundraisers or "charities" in the wake of this shooting, and Why Your Bank Sucks wants to tell you what to look out for.
GoFundMe's are as prevalent as memes on social media. I discuss what differtiates one from the thousands of others when doing your research
I also talk about big banks having a lack of contribution accounts for their clients and need, and I share an uncomfy story from a few years ago about a client I unfortunately lost.
Hard podcast, but talking about banking is important to me, and it's my honor to fiscally protect you!
I also announce I will figure out how to get proceeds from my books and other projects to some worthy charities.
MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
...more
1h 8min
August 01, 2019 We Closed Your Branch, But We Left ATMs in its Place! (SIKE!) BofA Ditches My Hometown AGAIN! + Brian Moynihan: Fair and (Un)Balanced on FOX!
Yours truly worked for 2 Branches in 13 years at Bank of America, and he's seen his bank leave his hometown three times! (Huh?)
Bank of America announces the closure of the machines that were so popular and successful according to them in my hometown of Las Cruces, NM.
Learn how I predicted that my clients would be fed the lies of "alternative ways of banking" taking over. How about a discussion of an abandonment of thousands of customers in a college town where it is 80% Hispanic and 50% in poverty? I have it here...with a heavy heart and a loud mouth

Plus... Brian Moynihan on Fox! How does the most hated Bank CEO end up on the most polarizing network, and STILL manage to piss off right wing conservatives? You will find out when he is asked about his immigration stance. We break down audio from the interview. A fascinating interview that caught the timid Moynihan off guard. Maria Bartiromo takes on Mr. BofA

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.

...more
1h 13min
July 26, 2019 Iranian-Americans, Iranian Students, and Bank of America - How BofA Discriminates Against a Group of People + A Zelle VM
I worked in two college towns in my tenure at Bank of America, and one of my greatest joys was meeting all the new international students each semester. Students from all over the world would attend school in my hometowns and new friends were made. Iranian students were always regulars in my banks. Helping them as a teller all the way up to manager, I noticed Bank of America started treating this great clients, who had excellent deposit histories, and accounts with very few issues really harshly.
Account openings became epic, lasting over two hours, while I had to call a secret dept. within Bank of America to get "Approval" to open accounts for people with valid IDs. Random freezings and closings of their accounts, leading to times where money was not available and bills had to be paid.
How can a bank treat a group of people so bad? I worked there 13 years, and I don't even know. This podcast is a really serious one, spurred by a recent Twitter post of a letter from the NIAC (National Iranian American Council)
https://www.niacouncil.org/niac-letter-ofac-iranian-american-bank-account-closures/#ofacletter
I discuss my history in helping Iranian Americans and Iranian Students both as a teller and seller, what I saw transpire with BofA, and how I felt as a banker who had no control over their treatment, and ultimately because of the documents I had to sign to get an account open, theoretically a person who can get fired for simply opening the account because all my fingerprints were one it.
Even someone who can't relate or who has a view about people emigrating from another country or coming to school from another country that I don't agree with should listen to this, because the question about citizenship and "DUAL" citizenship is being asked of every client, and if you are non-compliant in responding, you will be treated how these awesome Iranian Americans were treated. No matter your politics, you have to worry about this scary treatment from BofA.
Reach out to NIAC if you have any people who had similar treatment.

Plus, not to underscore, but we have a voicemail call about a Zelle horror story from Olivia.

It's a long pod, but one full of information and frustration. Please enjoy!

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.

...more
1h 38min
July 22, 2019Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan's Interview on CNBC: Too Dull For Cable TV
Brian Moynihan, the CEO/Scarecrow of Bank of America showed up on CNBC's Mad Money with Jim Cramer to discuss BofA's record qtr. What I got was a 10 1/2 min interview that I was able to do an hour podcast on. This is part 1 of 2 media interview podcasts I will do on Moynihan.
Among Interview Topics:
How Bank of America is a leading "Technology" company (What?!?) and how only 1/2 of their clients have adopted online banking. They are a regular Apple or Google.

How he is proud that Bank of America's Technology is something to be proud of because they build building to keep the technology from... Being wet?

How making money by "Retooling Branches" is code for "Getting rid of tellers and pushing people to mobile" and how he doesn't even know how many branches they've opened last year.

How Brian Moynihan says that millennials are the bread and butter of the company, although he includes 41 year olds as millennials.

How his spiel on millennials only would mean they are still the 5th or 6th biggest bank is foreshadowing what they think of older folks.

How he mentions wages grew by 6% year over year for lower-end employees (Though I never made more than 3.8%)

Average salary at BofA IS $150K?!?!?!

How BofA's "Life Event Services" is a total joke. Where it literally almost got me killed in an ice storm, and also his companies supposed focus on mental health and stress is a very comical thing when they are the instigators of mental health issues and stress.

How he mentioned that Domestic Violence is a focus at BofA, yet 1500 people who have been supposedly helped by BofA probably had their domestic situation worsened by Bank of America's striving for sales and pushing workers to the brink.

CRAZY FREAKING INTERVIEW. Catch the video at: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/07/18/bank-of-america-ceo-on-digital-banking-the-numbers-are-just-rolling.html

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
1h 18min
July 20, 2019 Bank of America Made $7.3 Billion This Quarter, But Was Too Cheap to Buy a $2 Box of Rubber Bands For Us 5 Years Ago
Bank of America made $7.3 Billion, Wells Fargo made $6.2 Billion, and JP Morgan Chase made $9.7 Billion in the last three months. Cause to celebrate? Sure why not? It's America and they are doing the America thing: Making Money. On today's podcast, I decide not to talk the technical aspects of the earnings report, I just reminisce with a few stories about how goddamn cheap Bank of America was during my tenure over there, nearly putting 2 eyes out over a matter of $2.
I discuss office supply cheapskated-ness along with depriving children of the one thing that silences them when going to the bank, all in the name of penny pinching.
I try to make my horrible experiences there a little entertaining for you.

Plus, we have an email from a fan in Minnesota who is wondering why his cards never seem to work in another country, despite telling the bank where he's going. I have an interesting theory on why this happens. Guess why? Money Money Money. Bank wants to keep more money. My theory will surprise you, and I discuss international fees in general.

A podcast all about fake belt-tightening Bank of America who will in fact starve with its projected $30,000,000,000 in profit this year. (sigh)
MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
1h 5min
July 15, 2019 Divorces, Single Parents, & Banking
Growing up poor and in a single parent household, I saw the financial struggles of how it's hard to make it in this world. In this podcast, I share my experiences growing up, and how single parenthood and divorce really impacted my mom's finances. This includes a home loan that my mother got from.. Countrywide Home Loans, which became a subsidiary of Bank of America a dozen years ago. Learn how sub-prime loans took my mom's dream and foreclosed on it, all while I was working for Bank of America.

I also share what I applied to discussions with single parents and people divorcing/breaking up in my office as a banker for BofA. I discuss how I even took advantage of these "horrible life events" for the purposes of sales growth. I also share some interesting stories of what I saw personally between people that made me reevaluate how I banked as I got married.

Controversial but necessary topic to have.

P.S. Screw Countrywide for stealing my mom's home and wrecking her credit just to get an incentive.

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
1h 2min
July 10, 2019 James & His Personal Debit Card Hell
I have have debit cards since they have been called "Check Cards". They were my first conduit to banking, and now all these years later, the bane of my existence. Though I love my debit card, it has brought so much undue stress over the years.

I recently had to get my card replaced after 8 years of having the same number because of a BS charge (don't buy magazines), and it gave me flashbacks to 2011, when Bank of America decided it would be cool to charge $5/month for your debit card which already makes them money. It was a horrible to time to work at BofA, and even worse that I became a supervisor on that same day.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-bankofamerica-debit/bank-of-america-to-charge-debit-card-use-fee-idUSTRE78S4GQ20110929 (Announcing the fee September 29, 2011)

https://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/02/business/bank-of-america-drops-plan-for-debit-card-fee.html (Wimping out and backing away weeks later)
Learn about the backlash, and how BofA finally backtracked a few weeks later, but the damage was done, and how bank branches going away just means even more fees can happen like this in the future without old James to complain to!

Plus, I walk you through my experience in getting a digital debit card from BofA while BofA is mailing me the permanent one. Weird and full of disclosures (11 pages worth) This is what will replace the temp card in most locations! It's garbage.
Read more about that here! (Corporate Propaganda)
https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com/press-releases/consumer-banking/bank-america-introduces-digital-debit-card

A story I have wanted to tell, now I can :) Relive my debit card hell with me.

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
57min
July 04, 2019 Bank of America Takes A Stand Against Loaning to Private Prisons (Right After Loaning $90M) + Hungry, Hungry ATMs
Bank of America ticked off so many people on the conservative side when they were the last major bank to take a stand against Private Prisons that have been in the news lately with the immigration debate (No politics on this podcast)
They promised not to loan any money.....one week after they loaned $90 million that will essentially make them $1.7 Million in interest a year.
James Baca will tell you how it's possible to piss off both sides of the debate with the same action. BofA did it!

Plus, I go over an epidemic with ATMs accepting cash deposits without crediting clients. What's worse? BofA is declining these claims in droves. My vigilante customer service is working hard to figure out why this is. Learn about my theory in this podcast.

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Donate to Why Your Bank Sucks on Cash App $TheBankerDude
Sponsors - [email protected] - Advertise your business with a growing, cutting edge podcast.
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
47min
June 28, 2019 A Notary Seal of (Dis)Approval - How Big Banks Blow Off Notary Service + Emails
Today's Podcast discusses something I practiced against my wishes at Bank of America, and which is going on at branches across the land. The denial of a simple free service, notary public service, because it "diminishes sales opportunity". Learn how I, along with the bank as a whole found reasons to blow off those in need of a simple stamp, citing "things wrong with the document" and refusing to do it for anyone who didn't have an appointment. It's the most f-ed up thing for people who are agents for their state

Plus a couple of emails about Why the phone is never answered and what I think is the "Mount Rushmore" of crappy departments at BofA.

[email protected] if you ever have a question or try our podcast voicemail line for questions and comments about big banks, 575-322-4127

MY PATREON Page!
For as little as $1, you can help James Baca in his fight against big banks.
http://www.patreon.com/whyyourbanksucks
Our podcast today is brought to by our friends at KASASA!
Visit KASASA.com for information about a bank in your area that has Kasasa checking, which is free checking where you can earn rewards. Learn more about their awesome products on their website. You won't go wrong! :)
575-322-4127 is our voicemail line to share your bad banking experience. 3 min limit.
Our website www.whyyourbanksucks.com for more info on our podcast, store, sponsorship info and much more!
Visit our Twitter Page @bankscrewedus - Running commentary with BofA clients and VIGILANTE CUSTOMER SERVICE
& Host James B on Twitter @jamesbisright.
Books Coming Soon: "The Banker Dude Presents: Beer Money: Banking and Financial Tips for Today's Modern Man"
"Bank of America Nearly Made Me Homeless (And I Worked There)" Status plus my Complaints book, "The Bank Screwed US"
...more
56min

FAQs about The Notorious Banker:

How many episodes does The Notorious Banker have?

The podcast currently has 228 episodes available.