For years many banks and credit unions have manipulated the order of debit and checking transactions to trigger more overdraft fees. In spite of consumer complaints, media attention and costly litigation, some financial institutions persist in this practice. We commend Senator Sherrod Brown for proposing a bill that would stop this sleight-of-hand trick once and for all.
Not all banks and credit unions engage in reordering manipulation, but the practice remains widespread. Unfortunately, those that resist responsible and ethical practices undermine the American public's trust in all of our financial institutions.
Reordering is only one example of how some banks actively work to trigger penalty fees, but the practice is common and pernicious. We urge Congress to act on Senator Brown's bill, and we urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to issue comprehensive reforms requiring fair fees on debit and checking transactions.
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For more information: Kathleen Day at (202) 349-1871 or kathleen.day@responsiblelending.org; or Ginna Green at (510) 866-5989 or ginna.green@responsiblelending.org.