Glitch99 said:Submitted my app last weekend, got a email today - Thank you for submitting an online application with Metropolitan National Bank. Unfortunately, your application has been declined because there have been one or more inquiries filed with another financial institution recently. We are currently taking a very conservative view in accepting online applications. We are updating our online application process so that applicants in this particular situation will be re-evaluated for an account. This process is scheduled to be completed by Monday, February 25, 2008. Since I've only submitted one other bank app (OneUnited Savings) in the past 3+ months, it must be an EXTREMELY conservative view.

I feel kind of bad - its the first bank account I've ever been declined for.......

Ok, I'm over it.

Wow, that is conservative. Glitch99: may I ask, what makes you think that they only consider inquiries for opening an account in the last 3 months? If this is Chex inquiries we are talking about, then they stay on the report for at least a year, if not 3 years.

tolamapS said:Glitch99: may I ask, what makes you think that they only consider inquiries for opening an account in the last 3 months? Sorry, I didnt mean to imply that's what I thought - its the only 'recent' account I've opened, along with 2 more in the 6-to-12-month range. My point (which I failed to make) was that it is a far cry from the 8 accounts I opened within a month of each other last winter without any issues.

busterbaxter said:glxpass said:I just contacted the bank and asked about getting declined opening a checking account because of the number of inquiries. At the moment, that's how their application process is set up. On Monday, the process will be changed from an automatic decline of opening the account to a review of the ChexSystems report. If there's no negatives on the report, or problems confirming your identity, you won't be declined; i.e., the number of inquiries won't be a factor.

Also, I was told that they don't do a hard credit inquiry for opening a checking account; they just use ChexSystems. The person I spoke with at the main office, (212) 643-6981, also said she'd give me a call on Monday to confirm that the new application process is in place. There doesn't seem much point in my applying prior to that time.

did she also mention the inability to open the account online? It seems that the account required for this bonus is not an available option online.
Perhaps I'm missing something here, but isn't it the Personal Checking Account that one would open? Doesn't this link allow you to do that? It shows me various accounts I can open, including Personal Checking. When I click on the question mark to right of the check box for Personal Checking, a window displays, showing this promotion.

In any event, I'm not going through the process until I hear back from them on Monday. I suppose if I've any problems at that point, I'll contact them.

glxpass said:I just contacted the bank and asked about getting declined opening a checking account because of the number of inquiries. At the moment, that's how their application process is set up. On Monday, the process will be changed from an automatic decline of opening the account to a review of the ChexSystems report. If there's no negatives on the report, or problems confirming your identity, you won't be declined; i.e., the number of inquiries won't be a factor.

Also, I was told that they don't do a hard credit inquiry for opening a checking account; they just use ChexSystems. The person I spoke with at the main office, (212) 643-6981, also said she'd give me a call on Monday to confirm that the new application process is in place. There doesn't seem much point in my applying prior to that time.

Previously he same here. They asked me to resubmit my application today and I did. However, I got the same result as the other day, with the following hint
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Identity Verification

Although there may be a discrepancy or problem relating to the information you provided pertaining to either your personal or credit history information, we are proceeding with your application subject to our subsequent review. You will receive a follow-up communication from us regarding the ultimate status of your application shortly.
As you have not had an opportunity to fund your account electronically or print our standard account documentation, providing your application is approved, our next communication to you will provide information relating to the completion of your account opening process.
If you have any questions in this regard please contact us at
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Their office is closed right now so I can't reach them. Anyone knows updated info about their system?

glxpass said:I didn't receive the promised call from Metropolitan Mational Bank today, but your experience, DreamSun, seems to indicate that they've indeed modified their on-line application system; otherwise, you wouldn't have told that your application would be reviewed.

I'll give them a call tomorrow also, just to confirm this.Not necessarily. I got the same response as DreamSun when submitting the app, then received this email a couple days later.

Just had a discussion with the bank about the application process. To the applicant, any messages would look the same as last week. In addition, if the identity verification process fails, that will be a certain rejection, and a letter in the mail will follow.

If, however, the application seems to fail because of what's called "Qualifile Score", a score the CSR says comes from ChexSystems, that score will not involve an immediate rejection (despite the same application message as received last week); instead the application will be reviewed, and if approved, an e-mail will be sent within 24 - 48 hours, giving instructions on how to further proceed with the account opening process, including funding.

If the review results in a rejection, then the snail mail letter will follow, indicating a general reason why the application was rejected.

I was told the review process does involve looking at the number of ChexSystems inquiries with other financial institutions. If that number is excessive, then the application will be rejected. Unfortunately, it's an internal bank determination of what "excessive" means. It's also unclear (to me) at what point those inquiries will drop off, or at least not be counted. I think the CSR mentioned something like 6 months.

So it appears the bank will review application information, but still could reject the application for an excessive number of inquiries on ChexSystems, even if there were no negatives. And if you've trouble with the identity verification, then that's a sure rejection. (A branch visit would probably take care of any identity verification issues.)

Gotham said:I just spoke to someone on the phone and she said you have to give them your full paycheck as direct deposit. That's annoying. Now I might cancel the application.

How would they know what "full" is? It's not like your company is saying here is $500 out of $1000. For all they know I only make $500 every pay period. To make it appear legit just make up a number - like 516.23.

How Can the bank verify full? There are deductions Such as insurance, Loan, taxes, etc.

Has any one tried with "partial" deposit?

TyroneSchulace said:Gotham said:She said they could verify by asking for a paystub.If that's the case, then it probably needs to be full, or at least not arouse suspicion. They probably wouldn't ask if it were well over 500. Then use the money to pay your mortgage or something big. It sounds like they've thought this out, because other banks only ask for $100-$200, like my seven do.Either that, or the specific CSR who said this is a prude who thinks anyone with more than one bank account is doing something illegal. I'd get multiple confirmations of this before giving it any weight.

Glitch99 said:TyroneSchulace said:Gotham said:She said they could verify by asking for a paystub.If that's the case, then it probably needs to be full, or at least not arouse suspicion. They probably wouldn't ask if it were well over 500. Then use the money to pay your mortgage or something big. It sounds like they've thought this out, because other banks only ask for $100-$200, like my seven do.Either that, or the specific CSR who said this is a prude who thinks anyone with more than one bank account is doing something illegal. I'd get multiple confirmations of this before giving it any weight.

Rorer714 beat me to it. Here's the link: Metropolitan's personal banking web page