NBT Bank, “$ Tip for the teller?”

I recently went to the NBT bank drive-thru to cash a personal check from my neighbor written out to me with the funds being drawn from my neighbors account at this bank. After forwarding my license with the check to the teller I also informed her I have an NBT credit card account with NBT. She politely informed me that there would be a $5 charge to me to cash this check and that my credit card account doesn’t dismiss this charge. I chuckled, and asked, I am being charged $5 to cash this check that is drawn on this bank? The answer was a polite yes. So apparently, whatever the teller, no fault of hers, must have to do to complete this transaction, warrants a $5 fee by NBT bank? The teller confirms there are funds in the account real time on the computer. So I guess this fee is to punish me for not having a checking/savings account with NBT. I don’t know if other banks do this, but NBT bank just profited $5 from this simple drive-thru transaction. “BRILLIANT”! This is why who ever is the “banker” when you play Monopoly, they always win the game. I just want to pass GO and get my $5.

John Hartz
Credit Union member