Think Again About Moving To NC - Monies On Deposit Can Be Given To State Without Your Permission

My Money Market Checking account was recently escheated (we cheated) to the state of North Carolina in the amount of $40,000 from RBC bank in Cary to the State of NC Treasury Department. This was a rainy day savings account for us, and we had not used the account in 5 years. Any properties, including monies, have to be turned over to the State at the end of the 5th year, for both businesses and personal deposit accounts. When questioned, RBC said they have no choice, it's the law. All escheated monies $18 Million in 2007 are deposited and the interest from the money funds scholarships for the "needy" students...If you are lucky enough to find out about the never spoken law called the North Carolina Escheatment Law, you can jump through hoops, and get your monies back (without interest) from the state. We still do not have our $40,000 back. This goes for all banks, insurance companies, securities on deposit, All of It - Nothing is sacred.

It is wrong to forcibly take residents monies to fund scholarships for needy students. This is a state scam for sure. I have thoroughly now researched a law that no one told me when we moved here 6 years ago, not the bank (although it is probably buried in the banking paperwork somewhere), no one from the state.

I put my $40,000 in this bank to save for my retirement, and it was literally stolen from me and my husband. RBC says it sent a letter to me. I have never seen this letter, and they have yet have to provide me a copy. They have a current address and phone number and e-mail on file at that bank.

I filed a complaint with the banking commissioner, but of course they all all in the stealing together, and the Banking Commissioner RBC had done what it was required to do.

Not one bank/state in my life (50 years) has so maliciously and sneakily stolen money from me. Do They not realize how much junk mail comes each week from banks in first class, unmarked, indistinguishable envelopes. It is not in an envelope recognizable as a bank statement, nor is it marked Important. It requires no proof of delivery or signature (suggestion: make this a requirement), it is only required to be sent one time and one time only (increasing chances NC will get all my money).

How much money do they steal forever from unknowing seniors, because they won't know how to look for it, where to find it, or that it's even gone (we didn't know until WRAL TV Consumer Advocate Monica Laberite phoned us - it's been gone 7 months.

This is such a travesty and a deceitful way to fund low interest loan money for UNC - it should be illegal.

This escheatment process should be changed so the monies cannot be escheated without a signature or proof of signature or proof of non-delivery - but then that would totally defeat your purpose in the law wouldn't it? NC should at least run a public service announcement prior to funds being transferred in each year so residents could remember to make a transaction on their accounts - I did not know I needed to do that. One simple transaction on an account will save these deposits. In many states, the bank simply runs a small deposit $.01 to save their depositors monies. RBC would rather throw monies and customers away, and so would other banks here in NC.

And Four to go - still lookin for my money

Beach Season In NC Officially Kicks Off This Weekend

Today thousands of North Carolinians will hit Interstates 40 and 95 on the way to the Coastal Beaches. The other thousand folks are the mountaineers who'll will go to the mountains. NC is blessed to have mountains and beaches, and the folks here are usually very partial to one or the other.

I am a 100% beach bum. We actually have a very modest condo at North Myrtle Beach that is for sale at a seriously reduced price. We love the section of beach we are on, white sugar sand, gentle waves...oh now I feeling sad I'm not going.

It was always a dream of ours to have a beach "shack", but with the economic downturn, we'd just sleep better knowing the condo was off our budget's inventory list.

We'll be celebrating Memorial Day at home this year. Wherever you celebrate, enjoy your weekend and remember the day's meaning. It's more than just the start of Summer, it's a day to remember family, friends, soldiers.

RBC Banks - Still No Apology From Client Relations

RBC Bank still has not made any effort to contact me about sending our $40,000 to the NC State Department of Abandoned property because we had not had any transactions on it for three years. Hell-o, that why we put it in the bank in the first place, because it just seemed safer than in my mattress Turns out that was not so.

I had filed a Complaint with the NC Banking Commission, and received a copy of the letter they sent on to the Regional Customer Relations Department a week ago.

I see they still have No Customer Relations - even in that Department. RBC is right up there in Customer No Service with the other mega banks. Most big banks seem to have this attitude right now.

I would recommend not using RBC and if/when we get our money back from the state, you can be sure we won't be trusting RBC Bank any more of our money. I have never in my life had any of my bank funds given away.

And Four to go - Will Not Be Going Back To RBC Bank

Elizabeth Edwards Going On Book Tour - Resilience

Elizabeth Edwards book tour talking about her new book Resilience has been on all my favorite talk shows. And, I've seen snippets through out the media I must say her appearance on CNN Larry King Live show touched my soul.

Larry asked some very tough questions. Although he was kinder to Elizabeth than I've seen him be to other guests, those hard soul provoking questions just kept coming. Elizabeth answered graciously and for the most part was cool, calm, and collected. I admire her grace under fire.

The Edwards live in Chapel Hill, NC very near our home. My spouse and I have been married a similar amount of time to the Edwards, and I too can attest to life throwing some fast balls at hopes, plans, and dreams, and can shatter fairy tale relationships. Unfortunately, the ever grinding media assisted in her dream being shattered.

I am reading Resilience, I applaud Elizabeth for having (or finding) the strength to write and talk about this book. I love her honesty and courage, and the fact the couple is staying together and working on their frail marriage.

Elizabeth, I would love to sit on your front porch, hang out with some Southern Sweet Tea, and talk about our similar lives...that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger (and better). I hope your book is a huge success.

RBC Bank Cary NC - Really Bad Customer Service

Monica Laliberte, WRAL TV 5 consumer advocate, who tries to match abandoned property to owners, recently called my husband regarding $40,000 in abandoned property in the state of NC in our name. This turned out to be our retirement account w/ RBC Bank in Cary, NC held in a money market checking account. We had left it there untouched for over 3 years w/o a transaction on it, (it had actually been on deposit there for about 6 years). RBC simply turned it over as abandoned property sent an unmarked 1st class mailing letter for notification (which we have not seen), zeroed out the balance on an October 08 statement, which we seldom pay attention to - because we do not use the account, and know exactly how much money is saved there. Now it's up to us to do all the paperwork to resolve and recover the money from the state. I researched the NC abandoned property rules, and RBC seems to be in compliance, but you would think with $40,000 on the line, a current address, current phone number, and a local Cary, NC connection, the bank would have at least given me the courtesy of a phone call, or a certified letter, or a signature requirement to close my account. Today they joined the ranks of customer no service that is prevailing in other mega banks. Taddie Ibenez did not acknowledge that this is not an acceptable way to treat a long time customer and depositor, and said it was up to us to fix the problem with the state. The account was closed on October 6, and we have lost 7 months interest on this account.

I think RBC's handling of abandoned property should be tightened. There should be more aggressive process notification attempts to locate the depositors (more than just an innocuous first class letter - that probably looked like the other 7-8 bank offers we get each week). How about just picking up the phone and calling us RBC - before you turn over our money to the state? I'm glad in this time of economic financial downturn, RBC can afford to just throw away good customers. RBC has really bad customer service, and irresponsible policies in place regarding depositors money.

Gender Predictor Home Test Kit

I saw an item in the Walgreens weekly ad for an IntelliGender Home Gender Predictor test kit. This would give a pink or blue indicator as early as 10 weeks to predict the gender of your baby.

I gave a little pause to that thought as to whether if I were pregnant would I want to know with a simple kit if I were having a boy or girl. Would it present a moral and ethical dilemma for me? What if I had a very definite preference, and the results did not match my preference. Would I run quickly to my nearest clinic? Would I start to feel disappointed about my pregnancy and the joy that comes with the whole process? Or, am I one who could process, deal and be joyful with a perfectly healthy beautiful boy or girl? I think I am the latter.

In any case I am excited with the technology and science that allows a gender predictor kit to work. I am an older woman, and have seen so many advances in birth control, pregnancy tests, and now gender predictor tests. Even before my childbearing years, women often did not know they were preggers for 3-4 months, so the length of the pregnancy would go by much faster. Now tests can predict pregnancy 3 days after your missed periods - wow that must make for a long long pregnancy experience.

Here's to Baby Mamas everywhere and all their Boys and Girls!