Rejected: 'I was denied a bank account!'


Forget trying to get a credit card -- some people can't even open bank accounts. These four people have been denied basic checking accounts, often because past mistakes came back to haunt them.

Many people don't realize their bank account history is following them until they try to open a new account and they are flat-out rejected.

The following people represent a small slice of the millions of consumers who are denied bank accounts each year because they bounced too many checks, were considered a risk for fraud, or overdrew their account and failed to pay what they owe.

In most cases, they apply for an account with a bank only to discover they've been flagged as high-risk by a massive database of consumer banking behaviors run by a little-known company called ChexSystems.

About 80% of the nation's banks use information from the database to screen bank account applicants. Most negative information on a person's report stays in ChexSystems' database for five years, according to ChexSystems.

ChexSystems declined to comment on specific details or cases, but it said "any consumer who feels there are errors on their file should contact ChexSystems via Consumerdebit.com."

more @ http://money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2012/08/16/bank-account-rejected/?iid=HP_LN