What can I do to open a checking account if I have been turned down by the banks already?

Hi!  Thank you for writing.  I am so sorry you are having this problem.  It is so hard to be a victim of identity theft, and then when you get punished even more it is really unfair. 

Banks check your financial history through a system called ChexSystems. If you have poor or damaged credit, the bank can legally refuse to let you open an account. It seems extremely unfair to me, but it happens. And in your case, you don't even have a problem - you are a victim!  If you have had trouble with checking and savings accounts in the past, a bank could legally refuse you as a client. You might want to see if you can contact ChexSystems via their website (https://www.chexsystems.com) to try and clear up the mess.

Here are some other options:

·         Go into the bank branch and talk with a banker there. The personal approach may work. Offer to bring in a paystub or a reference to convince the bank you are a good risk.

·         Try other banks in town besides the one that just turned you down, talking to a banker at each one.

·         Try on online bank like Etrade, Ally, or Synchrony.

·         Try a credit union. Credit unions can be more lenient and more likely to offer second chances. You may have access to and eligibility in a local credit union or a national one like Navy Federal Credit Union if you were in the military.

I hope that you can get this problem resolved!   Best wishes to you.