Prospective bank customers in Syracuse, NY may be lured by some pretty hefty cash offers for opening a checking account.  We haven’t seen many offers above $50, so when M&T Bank offers new members $150 to open a Power Checking account, we take notice.  Select checking accounts get $100 and basic checking with interest gets $50.  Incentives, however, can boost the $150 to as high as $250 for Power Checking.  You must enroll in certain M&T programs like overdraft protection or use BillPay to take advantage of this extra bounty.  The total for regular checking could get you as high as $125.  It’s easiest to take full advantage of these offers if you have your checking account elsewhere, but your mortgage is at M&T.