The fine print: 10 secrets your bank keeps

The fine print: 10 secrets your bank keeps

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With the economy slowing, consumers and banks alike are doing what they can to stay afloat. Are you reading your bank's fine print when it comes to fees, online banking, interest rates, and more? Here, SmartMoney reveals the top things that your financial institution is probably not telling you.

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Nothing really surprising here, but I thought I would post it anyhow because it could spark interesting discussion and I liked the last two on the list on page 2.

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(visit the link for the full news article)

Everything going on with the failing banks lately, one can understand the strong ones making every money-grab they can.

Just remember, that a bank is a business. It is there to make money off you, not serve you. That is their only purpose.

I bet they hire beurocrats to sit around, solely to think of new fees and ways to charge people. Just amazes me everytime.

Hopefully WAMU stays up and leaves my $3.97 alone.

reply to post by ModernAcademia

When I activated my credit card over the phone, I was told that I had to pay five bucks a month for identity theft protection and 99 cents per hundred dollars on my unpaid balance for overdraft protection. The salesman would not take no for an answer when I said I did not want it. He said I will sign you up for a trial period and you can cancel by calling the 1-800 number.

reply to post by LostNemesis


WAMU is already on the ropes. They should be toast in a few more weeks.

I have dealt with all sorts of little tricks pulled on me by my Credit Union. The only good thing is that I am usually successful in arguing to have the fees reversed.

When I have plenty of money in there, I don't have any problems. But when you start juggling transactions and relying on rules and technology, you get screwed.

Example:

If I used my VisaCheck Card as a "credit" at the supermarket, the charge would go through, even if the funds weren't in my checking account. The CU would cover it, and I would pay a $21 fee to not be embarrased at the checkout.

But if I used it as an "ATM" at the checkout, it would block the transaction.

So one night I needed something, and wasn't sure if I had enough money in the account or not. I had cash on me to buy the item if I didn't. So I hit the "ATM" key and it went through. Great. I hadn't spent that fice bucks in the account after all.

They didn't tell me that they had changed the system, and I got hit with the fee. Now "POS" purchases will go through, even for cash over, but not at an actual "ATM."

Confused yet?

reply to post by jackinthebox


I have heard from a friend that Credit Unions are more honest when it comes to fees and your money than banks are. Maybe that is not true, then having the same purpose a bank - To make money off you! ??

I personally have had no problem with WAMU. Shame they are on thin ice right now from the sounds of it, but I only have the account to verify my identity for other transactions anyway. They typically will reverse one fee against you per year, no question asked.
Bank of America, different story.

So, credit unions, not much better?

reply to post by LostNemesis


Better in that they are a bit more "sheepish" about ripping off their customers. They do the same things, but tend to be friendlier about it when you call them on it. More negotiable.

reply to post by jackinthebox


Well that's good to know. But no, not really.. Lol

It sounds to me like this is a method of control. It is always someone else in control of our money, and that's the way it will always be. Kind of hard to prevent fees, when they hold our paycheck at ransom(sp?), and just take what they want, and invest it into what they want.