But the Fed said that next year it might go even further and allow banks to deal in stocks.

"You have to know what the bank wants to see and how to deal with problem areas," Ms. Cohn said.

The implication is that many banks simply won't deal with spam outfits.

"Gosh, that's never happened before; no bank has ever dealt with rising rates," he said sarcastically.

In fact, before the mid-1980's, the banks didn't usually deal with mortgage brokers at all.

Good banks can deal with adversity in a deal, but they need to know what it is.

The banks are dealing with others, but they have closed our accounts.

But one insider said yesterday that the banks could deal the scheme a mortal blow if they continued to up the price.

As well as mortgages, the bank also deals with savings accounts and insurance.

The banks can either deal with one another directly, or through electronic brokering platforms.