Examples of chutzpah

[hazel]

Chutzpah is a Yiddish word that means something like "barefaced cheek". The classic example is the man who murdered his parents and then asked the court to show special consideration because he was an orphan.

Today I received a letter from my bank announcing that, as from 30th June, my bank card would no longer guarantee my cheques. This means, of course, that I won't be able to use cheques except with people I already do business with, who know that my cheques don't bounce.

The letter was headed "Helpful Banking".

Have any of you experienced examples of chutzpah?

[cousinlucky]

I do not know if you would call it chutzpah; but I constantly get letters
from my landlord, all of the time, containing " in your face " Ludicrous Lies!!

[sgosnell]

How would someone know whether your check (cheque) is backed by a card? My checking account is not backed by a card, because the interest is far too high. I use a savings account for that, but I realize that not everyone has that luxury. But whether or not an account is guaranteed by another account, how would the recipient of the check know?

[hazel]

How would someone know whether your check (cheque) is backed by a card? My checking account is not backed by a card, because the interest is far too high. I use a savings account for that, but I realize that not everyone has that luxury. But whether or not an account is guaranteed by another account, how would the recipient of the check know?

In the UK, you present the card with the cheque. The card has a specimen signature on it and the recipient checks the signature against the one on the cheque (which must have been signed in his presence) and then writes the card number on the back of the cheque. Even if that cheque bounces, the bank has to pay up.

But not any more, unfortunately. I wouldn't have been so angry if they had said "We recognise that this is thoroughly unhelpful to you, but we are more interested in increasing our profits than in satisfying our customers' needs". That would at least have been honest. But "Helpful banking"? A chutzpah!

[elija]

But not any more, unfortunately. I wouldn't have been so angry if they had said "We recognise that this is thoroughly unhelpful to you, but we are more interested in increasing our profits than in satisfying our customers' needs". That would at least have been honest. But "Helpful banking"? A chutzpah!

But they didn't specify who they're helping.

[cousinlucky]

In today's world using checks is a very dangerous thing to do. At the bottom of your check
are your checking account number and the routing number for your bank; this is all the
information that is needed to transfer money out of your account to who knows where!!
Be very careful with checks. ( I use Postal Service money orders to pay my bills and I have
a Visa card that I only use for Internet stuff. )

[sgosnell]

That's a strange way of doing business. On this side of the pond, one can have a checking account backed by a card or another account, but it's a choice, and one has to be careful. The bank takes no risk at all, and profits if there are insufficient funds to cover the check. The bank just pays the check, then charges a fee and about 20% interest is added, compounded monthly. Write a check for $.01 more than you have on deposit, and you will be charged about $50. The bank in fact hopes you don't have enough money to cover it, and will make every effort to insure that you don't. Capitalism at its finest.

[supernicky]

Yesterday I was told by the agent of the insurance company, that I have to pay for my broken pipe by myself, as pipes, which are UNDER the house are obviously not IN the house and therefore the insurance company defines them to be OUTSIDE the house, so they don't have to pay - ... -

[cousinlucky]

Ah the many perils of home ownership!!