Does Great Western Bank Use ChexSystems? Is it Good for Bad Credit?

Considering Great Western Bank or already applying for its account? Find out whether Great Western Bank uses ChexSystems and offers a second chance checking or savings account.

You walk into your local bank branch and sit down with your bank representative to talk about opening a checking account. Maybe you’ve been through some financial difficulties in the past, but you are ready to get back on track. But maybe not. You may think your financials are in good shape.

You wait with bated breath through the application process, only to let it out in a sigh of disappointment.

The banking representative turns to you and says, “I’m sorry, but we can’t open an account for you right now. You were rejected by ChexSystems.”

At that point, the banker probably explained ChexSystems to you in detail. If you haven't already, you can read our in-depth guide to ChexSystems and ChexSystems removal, and why it may be having a negative impact on your financial life.

Denials like these are surprisingly common. In fact, CNN has reported that approximately 15% of bank applicants are denied regular bank accounts.

Great Western Bank

Several members of our community have reported that Great Western Bank DOES use ChexSystems but you can still qualify for an account if you don't owe any money to the bank. A second chance checking or savings account is another option to consider. Check out their financial products below and visit the official website to learn more.

Details

Method of Verification ChexSystems
Notes

It has been reported that as long as your report is a year or older, they will open an account. Fraud should not be indicated on the report for the best results and preferably:

  1. only one reporting bank
  2. debt to reporting bank is paid
  3. best to open the account over the phone
Official Response (Email or Phone) Thank you for your inquiry. If your ChexSystems record is more than a year old than it will be considered, but it is still not guaranteed that an account would be opened. The best thing to do would be to come in to a branch location, sit down and talk with a Personal Banker, and have them pull the ChexSystems report. You can discuss with them at that time, the items that mat appear on that report and whether or not the account could be opened, or what your options are.Great Western branch which I live right next to said their threshold is 1 year; that is, any reported information older than 1 year will not be a bar against opening an account. And they run it over the phone instead of online because, according to them, phone inquiries are more accurate and current. Because I'm clear and they ran it over the phone, I was good to go! Running via computer usually gets me declined, even though I'm clear.

Top Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems

Below you will find banks that don’t use ChexSystems as an alternative to Great Western Bank in any step of the process. You can be sure that these banks won’t ever cross reference your records before deciding whether to let you open an account.

The list is suggested by our readers. Please consider the Unchex editor's curated list of banks that don't use ChexSystems for all the banking options available nationwide.

Editor's Choice

CIT Bank

The CIT Bank Savings Connect account is the best among banks that don’t use ChexSystems. Unlike many other non-ChexSystems accounts, the CIT Bank Savings Connect is also a high-yield savings account that can help grow your savings much faster than most other banks can.

Features and Benefits:

  • Interest-bearing
  • Minimum balance requirement: $0
  • Monthly maintenance fee: $0
  • Monthly ATM charge reimbursements of up to $30

Why is it recommended for you?

Although CIT Bank has a relatively high minimum deposit ($100) to get started, it offers one of the best interest rates among online banks, and has no opening, monthly servicing, online transfer or incoming wire fees.

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The Best Alternative

The Complete ChexSystems Removal Kit

Our comprehensive ChexSystems Removal Guide includes the exact documents and instructions guaranteed to help you get off ChexSystems and start banking again.

Learn More
Main Office
35 1st Avenue, N.E. Watertown, SD 57201
Deposit Insurance
FDIC
Established On
Aug. 5, 1935
CEO
-
Headquarter
South Dakota
Number of Members
-
Community Bank
No
Institution Class
Commercial bank, state charter and Fed nonmember, supervised by the FDIC
Institution Type
Bank
Credit Union Programs
-
Low Income Designation
-
Member of FHLB
-
Total Assets
$9,758,064,787
Asset Concentration
Commercial Lending Specialization
Charter Number
-
Routing Number
-
Membership Eligibility

Email From person that got an account:

Great Western branch which I live right next to said their threshold is 1 year; that is, any reported information older than 1 year will not be a bar against opening an account. And they run it over the phone instead of online because, according to them, phone inquiries are more accurate and current. Because I'm clear and they ran it over the phone, I was good to go! Running via computer usually gets me declined, even though I'm clear.

Accounts Offered
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Electronic Services
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Access to Electronic Services
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Services & Products: Credit
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Services & Products: Depository
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Services & Products: Financial Education
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Services & Products: Other
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Services & Products: Transactional
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