The Notorious Banker

This podcast is dedicated to our friends, evil Zelle and Bank of America, part owner of Zelle's holding company.

On a recent San Francisco newscast, ABC7 reporter Michael Finney brought us a story of Page, a school nurse in the Bay Area who was victimized by a crook who told her to "verify" potential fraud over the phone (while calling from a number purporting to be BofA) and when she did "verify", $3,500 was gone.

Leave it to Bank of America to string out Page a month, only to deny her, and then telling her to contact the criminal who ripped her off in order to get the money back. She reached out to ABC7 in SF and 7 on Your Side reporter Michael Finney with her story, they aired it and the next day she got her money back, because BofA is full of shit. 1000s are impacted every year with this type of scam, and big banks, ESPECIALLY BofA don't help for various reasons. I get into the story, add my two cents, and add why I think BofA could care less, and what we need to do to help others!

TNB Has recovered nearly $2 Million from big banks back to consumers, and about $500k of it was Zelle fraud!

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

Bank of America just one week after announcing the retirement of Tom "Toxic Culture" Montag and Anne Finucane, Bank of America shuffled the jobs of half a dozen people at minimum despite record high quarterly earnings and supposed stability within the company. I discuss how this is normal for Bank of America to shuffle stuff for the sake of shuffling because they are bored, and I used my own experience with my location and direct reports as evidence that this happens.

I also talk about how the recent minimum wage increase to $25/hour was a sign to me that  they would replace older higher-paying employees with younger folks at lower price points from the bottom of the company to the top.

I also discuss how Moynihan is poised to stay at BofA until 2030, and how the shuffling of roles actually stunts the job performance and job reviews of employees by not allowing them time to make a difference in their new roles.

Also, I talk about Senator Elizabeth Warren (D- Massachusetts) deciding to write a letter to the fed asking for them to break up Wells Fargo, citing the scandals of the past. This after Wells was fined another $250 Million last week for their business practices.

I discuss the timing of the letter, and while I agree that it should be broken up, seeing as retail banking is probably a loss leader for them at this point, that it will likely never do so under this bank-friendly administration. I discuss how these companies make their money and how retail banking is really a drop in the bucket for them.

Great to be back!

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

Thank you so so much for the support the last 12 days.

I was diagnosed with COVID nearly 2 weeks ago, and it has been a hell of a ride. Lost 16lbs, sweating all the time, tiredness... unable to work the way I like to work. It has been a journey.

I talk about it a little bit and I talk about how it will slightly impact some of the things I poop on Big Banks about!

Plus, A story I wanted to talk about for 2 weeks. Bank of America Announced that Tom Montag, the #2 to Brian Moynihan, and heir-apparent to Moynihan and Anne Finucane, one of the most preeminent female bankers in the industry, AnNoUnCeD ThEiR ReTiReMeNt at the end of the year. I firmly believe they are pushed out because they are older, tenured and more expensive, despite BofA making record profits and announcing a $25/hr min. wage for lower end employees. I have been seeing a lot of older execs "Retiring" this year, replaced by younger folks who likely make way less money than they do.

Montag's story in the NYT couldn't have helped. Thank You, Kate Kelly for that piece!

Anne Finucane got a puff piece in the Boston Globe where they talked about how she "helped navigate" Bank of America through the financial crisis of 2008. I talk about how she got praised for just basically surviving like I did when I was there. I discuss that a bit, and I also talk about how she did some great work that was propped up by a massive PR Blitz, while not really helping with problems on a consumer level, and forcing a lot of folks into banking in an unfamiliar way to them.

Great to be back!

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

I was in Vegas for WWE Summerslam last Saturday at beautiful Allegiant Stadium (Although it looks unfinished on the inside).

 I had a blast. I missed Vegas, and was glad to see new things. In the middle of the event, a tweet from Darren Rovell stunned me. The event I was at was having severe behind the scenes issues with their vaunted Cashless payment system, which didn't allow the purchase of most food, drinks and merchandise, causing likely losses in the millions of dollars. I discuss why this should be a sign that we are "READY" for cashless options everywhere just yet, plus I discuss how sales pressure from banks likely caused this issue, with the Raiders not having a backup payment acceptance plan.

8 News Now Article

Plus I talk about OnlyFans banning sexually explicit content. In an interview with Yahoo News, their CEO Says Banks pushed him to eliminate such content, which is what the Onlyfans brand name was built on. I discuss how banks view sexual businesses as "high-risk" and how they refuse to do business with them for the most part. I talk about how it means OF will likely fail, and how it impacts big banks "average" customer who uses Onlyfans to buy or sell content, and how it's another way of unbanking people. I also get into graphic detail why some banks don't want to be in the sexual business business.

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

I can't believe it's been 3 years since I got fired from Bank of America. So much has happened since then. I have become this amazing podcast host and of course, consumer advocate on Twitter. I discuss how the firing went down with some perspective 3 years later, and also my thoughts on would I still be working there if they didn't fire me?

Plus I have a listener question about "Successful Bank Robberies"

Also, I discuss how last Friday, BofA branches across the country had a "system outage" and how that impacts the clients, the employees in a branch, and business in general!

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

Condolences to Bank of America Employee Michelle Avan's family, friends and colleagues.

I have the unfortunate duty to report that a prominent BofA executive was murdered yesterday, and her alleged killer is a co-worker at Bank of America. Details are sketchy at this time, but the arrest was made today, and an outpouring of support has come from Michelle's colleagues. I discuss this tragedy.

NBC LA Story

ABC LA Story

Essence Article about the amazing path Michelle Avan carved for herself

KNX 1070 Article

Plus, I discuss a major change to Bank of America Savings Accounts that eliminates check writing... What?

Yes, BofA allowed you to write checks off your account.

Tweet of screenshot most clients recieved.

I discuss how verrrrry few people actually write checks, but I discuss how the "No Electronic Bill Pays" to things like credit cards and utility bills can end up hurting a lot of clients who use a savings account as a "low-maintenance checking account"

Plus listener questions about Cold Calls about a large balance and a way I figured out how to get a (Free) Replacement Debit Card from BofA.

KPBS Original Article on Story

The Root's Article

Bank of America in San Diego sets a new low when it comes to bad customer service. In a state where Bank of America has been accused of racism while cashing checks before, they refuse to cash an Attorney's $12,000 check giving him lame excuses why they couldn't. (I break down in this podcast those lame excuses). When the excuses are met with skepticism by John Pittman III (Who was also called out on his name as an excuse), the assistant manager "calls the cops" (claim which Bank of America branch mgr denied happening, claiming the assistant "pretended to call the cops") and forces the customer out

I break down the lies Bank of America told from my experience as a manager there, their laziness to cash a check because of some paperwork, their weird relationship with GEICO, one of their biggest clients, and how a weak manager with weak training didn't know how to deescalate or properly handle this issue, which then led to a racially charged escalation of the incident. I also discuss how BofA has to document with their corporate security any time a big incident happens, and how that didn't happen here.

This is for anyone who has experienced discrimination while banking. I am here for all of you.

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

Bank of America rolls out the "Unlimited Cash Rewards" Card which gives you a flat 1.5% on all purchases. Looks Shiny and Amazing...Until you realize, it eliminated the 2% on groceries and 3% on Gas Purchases, and how this card screws over even their beloved preferred clients.

I also talk about a targeted ad for a new "overdraft protection" product that does nothing but highlight how BofA oversold you accounts and now they are fishing in all of them for money you don't have to cover a charge. I talk about how it is no benefit for clients to have so many accounts tied to one anchor account if the anchor account is always short.

Plus, I briefly talk about how Bank of America is going to allow Bitcoin Futures trading for "Some Clients" (aka Rich a-holes) and how they are slowly bringing classism into Crypto, which is going over the head of the most true believers in the digital currency age.

Plus a question about home loans prep as well! :)

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

LA TIMES Article on Bank of America wanting out of their contract after California EDD extended it this month

In this podcast, I discuss my success with NM Unemployment, and then pivot to a less successful unemployment, California. Bank of America boldly states it wants to no longer be in the unemployment business, despite the state of California exercising their option to extend the deal for 2 years. With all the issues BofA has had that I have talked about on the podcast along in several interviews, it's shocking.

What's even more shocking? The BofA Spokesman who said that BofA wanted nothing to do with California is an elected official in the state of California. Conflict of Interest, much?

I talk about all the next steps California will have, the issues with fraud and BofA customer service and where everything is going to go going forward. Oh and they didn't make THAT Much money servicing California, and the service they provided was likely seen as a boutique project for them when there wasn't 23 million unemployment claims in a single state and they actually thought, "Shit, we may have to do some actual work here!"

NBC Los Angeles Story

ABC7 SF Story

Plus listener questions about budgeting when you are now a WFH employee, and what REALLY is a benefit of a savings account these days?

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)

Wells Fargo announced today it was shuttering all personal lines of credit.

Hugh Son CNBC Article

Normally, I would chalk this up to "Not a big deal" because as a banker, I know what it means, but over 13,000 Twitter posts in a couple hours, with most comments being ignorant and uneducated made me do this podcast.

All "Personal Lines of Credit" does not include credit cards, home loans, car loans, HELOCs, etc. They are referring to an old product that maybe 1 percent of their clientele had, and maybe 10% of the clientele who had it actually used. It was a way to sell lines of credit to those who are afraid of credit cards or to consolidate debt.

To put in perspective, BofA got rid of that product years ago, and in 13 years, I never saw anyone use it. EVER

I will talk about one thing that sucks: The impact to your credit score, and how people don't realize that's a big dead.

I discuss how having only this product with no other products is impossible, if not, detrimental to you if you made the decision to only have this product or a banker chose not to sell you on a "better product".

I discuss how banks are pivoting to cards in order to make them fees, which Wells outlined in the statment themselves, and discussed the future of their lending. I also talk smack to the person CNBC interviewed who literally commented on how Wells Fargo is at fault for his irresponsible spending. Very controversial topic IMO, but I feel the need to enlighten you all!

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

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

VM - 575-322-4127 (3M MAX)