650,000 Americans Joined Credit Unions Last Month

One of the tactics the 99 Percenters are using to take back the country from the 1 percent is to move their money from big banks to credit unions, community banks, and other smaller financial unions that aren’t gambling with our nation’s future.

Now, the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) reports that a whopping 650,000 Americans have joined credit unions since Sept. 29 — the date that Bank of America announced it would start charging a $5 monthly debit fee, a move it backed down on this week.

To put that in perspective, there were only 600,000 new members for credit unions in all of 2010. “These results indicate that consumers are clearly making a smarter choice by moving to credit unions where, on average, they will save about $70 a year in fewer or no fees, lower rates on loans and higher return on savings,” said CUNA President Bill Cheney.

Just two weeks ago, we opened a new account at a credit union here in Las Vegas.  I suggest folks explore the options.  Big banks took a huge bailout, paid themselves huge bonuses and continue to add hidden fees to take advantage of middle and lower income families.  Check out your local credit union today.

Bank of America to drop $5 debit card fee plans

Bank of America Corp. is dropping its plan to charge customers $5 a month for making purchases with their debit cards, a person familiar with the situation said.

The move is a dramatic retreat following decisions by several rivals in recent days to drop customer tests of the new fees. SunTrust Banks Inc. and Regions Financial Corp. also said Monday that they will stop charging customers for debit-card transactions.

Bank of America decided against the fees due to negative customer feedback on the plan and the moves by rivals, which left the Charlotte, N.C., lender as the only big bank planning to levy the fee on some customers next year.

Bank of America will formally announce the decision today, this person said.

The announcements follow decisions last week by Wells Fargo & Co. and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to drop customer tests of the new fees.

Bank of America to charge $5 monthly debit card fee

Seriously – it’s time to move to a credit union. Lower fees, better service.

CNN Money: Get ready for a new wave of bank fees. Bank of America will begin charging a $5 monthly fee at the beginning of next year for customers who make debit card purchases.

Whether you use your card for one purchase a month or 20, you will pay $5 per month starting in 2012. It doesn’t matter if you select “debit” or “credit” at the point of sale.

One of the best news stories – EVER!

Five months ago Bank of America filed foreclosure papers on the home of a couple who didn’t owe a dime on their home. In fact, the owners had paid CASH for their home. No mortgage owed to anyone – ever.

The case went to court and the homeowners were able to prove they didn’t owe Bank of America anything on the house.

A Collier County Judge agreed and after the hearing, Bank of America was ordered, by the court to pay the legal fees of the homeowners’, Maurenn Nyergers and her husband.

The Judge said the bank wrongfully tried to foreclose on the Nyergers’ house.

After more than 5 months of the judge’s ruling, the bank still hadn’t paid the legal fees, and the homeowner’s attorney did exactly what the bank tried to do to the homeowners. He seized the bank’s assets.

“They’ve ignored our calls, ignored our letters, legally this is the next step to get my clients compensated, ” said the home owners’ attorney Todd Allen.

Sheriff’s deputies, movers, and the Nyergers’ attorney went to the bank and foreclosed on it. The attorney gave instructions to to remove desks, computers, copiers, filing cabinets and any cash in the teller’s drawers.

After about an hour of being locked out of the bank, the bank manager handed the attorney a check for the legal fees.

“As a foreclosure defense attorney this is sweet justice” says Allen.

As a Realtor, I can tell you that many home owners have been the victim of banks who missed important details or just didn’t respond in a timely manner to legal matters.

I’m dancing the happy dance for these folks. Good for the Nyergers.