Banks Just Can’t Quit Charging You Overdraft Fees

There’s a lot of money to be made at your expense. But consumers can avoid fees if they know how.
Photographer: Getty Images
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Of all the many fees that banks charge, the overdraft fee may be the most perverse. And the most infuriating.

Overdraft services began decades ago as a courtesy by banks to their customers: If you didn’t have enough money in your account to cover a check, your bank stepped up, saving you the hassle and embarrassment of bouncing it.