bank news stories on Newser

Florida Man Tried to Cash $100 Check ... Gets $3.3M

Kate Schwartz — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 11:22:05 CST

It's not every day that you walk into a bank planning to cash a $100 check—and ultimately find yourself $3.3 million richer. That's what happened to Rodolfo Valladares, just not quite that smoothly. Valladares, sporting a Miami Heat hat, walked into a Florida Bank of America in July...

Termites Devour $225K at Bank

Rob Quinn — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 04:02:00 CDT

Staffers at an Indian bank were perplexed by a 10 million rupee shortfall until the culprit was discovered: termites. The insects had found their way into a storeroom in the old wooden building and munched their way through bank notes worth some $225,000, reports the BBC . Bank officials say...

Toddler Gets Locked in Bank Vault

John Johnson — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 14:35:19 CST

Scary story, happy ending: A 14-month-old girl visiting grandma at work couldn't resist toddling into an open vault at the Atlanta bank. An unwitting employee shut the door behind her, and nobody could open it because of the time-released lock, reports the Atlanta Journal Constitution . As rescue workers pumped fresh...

India Opens Bank With No Locks

Kevin Spak — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 14:15:05 CST

An Indian bank has opened a lockless branch in the small village of Shani Shinganapur, trusting residents’ fear of their deity—Lord Shani—to prevent robberies, the Times of India reports. “We took note of the general belief and faith of the people,” says one bank official. “Ever since the...

In Foreclosure Chaos, Banks Loot Wrong Homes

Matt Cantor — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:45:45 CST

Amid wrongful foreclosures and screwy paperwork, banks have been breaking into homes whose owners still occupy them, a flurry of lawsuits argues. Owners have returned home to find the locks changed and their property—from laptops to old photos to the ashes of a loved one—missing, the New York...

Piggy Banks Made From Real Pigs Cause Ruckus

Nick McMaster — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 18:50:41 CST

A website known for outrageous products has hit a nerve with its latest: a piggy bank made from an an actual piglet. The description of the item on TheCheeky.com notes that the "taxidermied" bank is made only from piglets that have died of natural causes. Nonetheless, it's a "demeaning...

'Sexy Spy' Anna Chapman Lands New Job

Emily Rauhala — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 04:43:40 CDT

What's a sexy former spy to do? Get a job at a bank, apparently. Anna Chapman, the 28-year old Russian operative whose "007-worthy beauty" caught America's attention has now been hired by Russia's FondServisBank, reports the Telegraph . The bank, which works in the aerospace industry, has hired Chapman to bring...

Mom Withdrew $15K for Robbers Before Her Murder

Mary Papenfuss — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:27:03 CDT

In a desperate bid to save her family, a Connecticut mom withdrew $15,000 for home invaders who were holding her husband and two daughters hostage. Despite the payoff, she and her children were sexually assaulted and murdered, prosecutors said yesterday. Jennifer Hawke-Petit withdrew the money while at least one...

It's Official: No More Overdraft Fees Without Opt-In

Jane Yager — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:22:14 CDT

Say goodbye to the $35 Frappuccino. As of yesterday, if you don't choose to opt-in for overdraft protection, your bank can't saddle you with a hefty fee on the Starbucks beverage you don't actually have enough money in your account for. A new overdraft protection law has come into effect,...