Banking Services
Legal Information
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Automatic Teller Machines and the Law
Downtown, at the mall, at the superstore—everywhere—an automatic teller machine (ATM) is there, ready to give you cash in exchange for a swipe of your plastic and a few magic numbers. That convenience, however, comes with a certain amount of expense and some exposure to risk as well. Content Detail
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Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts
Cashing Checks and Opening Bank Accounts: How to Save Money and Avoid Theft Content Detail
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Consumer Guide to Check 21 and Substitute Checks
Check 21 is sweeping new federal law that takes away your ability to get back your original paper checks. Under this law, consumers will be more likely to bounce checks and may find themselves paying higher bank fees. The complicated new law gives you some rights, but those rights depend on a variety of factors, including how the merchant and the bank decide to process your check. This web page contains some tips from Consumers Union about how to protect your rights. Content Detail
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How Do I Open an Account?
There is help!There are many people ready to talk with you about how to open a checking or savings account. Ask someone who has opened an account for advice. Content Detail
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Identification Needed for an Account
When you open a checking or savings account, you will be asked to provide your name, date of birth, current address, and an acceptable ID number which can come from one of the following: ? Social Security card; ? Matricula Consular or other consular ID card; ? Passport (U.S. or foreign); OR ? Temporary resident permit or Alien Identification Card. Content Detail
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What To Do When Someone Writes You a Bad Check
Lawline FAQ: If a person pays for goods or services with a check and that check is then dishonored by the bank on which it is written, you may be able to collect on the check by proceeding under the so-called South Carolina Bad Check law. Content Detail
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Protecting Yourself from Overdraft and Bounced-Check Fees
This website explains the best ways to avoid overdraft and bounced-check fees Content Detail
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When Is Your Check Not a Check? Electronic Check Conversion
Suppose you’re at a store making a purchase and decide to pay by check—at least, that’s what you believe you’re doing. The clerk asks you for a check that is completely filled out, partially filled out, or even blank. The clerk then runs the check through a machine and hands the voided check back to you with your receipt. What just happened? Did you pay by check? Why did the clerk return the check to you? The answer is, you just experienced electronic check conversion. The following questions and answers explain how electronic check conversion works and what your rights are as a consumer. Content Detail
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Building Wealth: A Beginner's Guide to Your Financial Future
Building Wealth: A Beginner's Guide to Securing Your Financial Future offers introductory guidance to individuals and families seeking help to develop a plan for building personal wealth. While a comprehensive discussion of accounting, finance and investment options is beyond the scope of this workbook, it presents an overview of personal wealth-building strategies. Content Detail
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How to File a Consumer Complaint about a Bank
If you have a complaint about a bank or other financial institution, the Federal Reserve System might be able to help you. The Federal Reserve is responsible for carrying out many of the federal laws that protect consumers in their dealings with financial institutions. We can help individual consumers by: (1) Answering questions about banking practices, and (2) Investigating complaints about specific banks under our supervisory jurisdiction. Content Detail
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Bank Accounts
This video shows how someone compares the costs when choosing a place open savings and checking accounts. Content Detail
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Prepaid Cards
This video shows what happens when someone gets a prepaid card without checking out the fees first. Content Detail
