The debit card trap

Source: New York Times (Free Registration)

Not many people would knowingly pay more than $35 for a cup of coffee. But far too many people are getting saddled — with no warning — with outsized bills for minor purchases, under a euphemistically labeled “overdraft protection program” that most major banks have adopted over the last 10 years. Before that, most banks would simply have rejected debit transactions, without a fee, when the card holder’s account was empty. Now, they approve the purchase and tack on a hefty penalty for each transaction.

Read Full Article: The debit card trap

 

Tags/Keywords

banking, savings, banks, debit cards, checking, opinions & editorials, overdraft fees, automatic overdraft, bounced check fees, courtesy overdraft

Article Statistics

Article Viewed: 3335
Tracker Stats:

 
 

Quick Menu

Support Consumer Action

Support Consumer

Join Our Email List

Facebook FTwitter T

Consumer Help Desk

Advocacy