[quote=CricketOnTheHearth] . . . FWIW the “above referenced account” is a Regular Checking. I also have a Time Deposit and a savings account with them, all of which total (just) over $25,000.
I wonder if it’s because I’m just using them as a piggy bank and don’t actually do daily-life transactions with these accounts?[/quote]
COTH, your letter is a legitimate letter from UB (formerly UBOC). Make sure your checking account qualifies for “Signature” status. Make sure you keep $25K in your (combined) accts to keep your personal “Signature banker” and the benefits above.
A few times in the past, I rec’d letters to qualify for “Signature” banking. However, I never took them up on it as some of its benefits I wouldn’t use and I also wanted the freedom to “shop CD rates” periodically. In addition, I refuse to carry an ATM card which can be used without a PIN (such as the “Signature ATM/Mastercard”) to purchase items (and get “cash back”) in stores with a point-of-sale terminal. If ever stolen, this is a good way for someone to clean out your bank acct(s) before you ever discover the card missing! To my knowledge, Signature qualifying requirements have always been to maintain a $25K (combined) balance in all your accounts.
Given a consistent over $25K in combined deposits, I see no reason for UB to charge you a checking service fee if your particular checking account qualifies for “Signature” status. UB has several different types of checking accounts. Perhaps it is just a technicality that you might be in the wrong one (carried over from non-Signature status)? COTH, to solve this issue, look into this at your branch and see if your checking account number can transfer over into another UB checking-account product to qualify it for Signature status.
