Is Your Bank Cooking the Books?

Manipulating checking account transactions to boost overdraft fees is kind of like “cooking the books”... only the banks are frying your checking account.

You can take action to help Stamp It Out!

1. Send a clear message to banks and their regulators. Take the one-question survey to the right now.

2. Protect your own checking account. Opt out of "Overdraft Protection" or find a bank you trust.

Call your bank or credit union and find out if they reorder transactions from high-to-low. Click here to see how reordering works.

If you ask, banks MUST stop charging you overdraft fees on debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals. Instead, they will decline transactions that would overdraw your account, at no cost to you. Though they are not required to opt you out of overdraft for checks and online bill payments, you can ask them to do so. This will protect you from reordering by limiting your exposure to overdraft fees altogether.

More opt out information here.

If you’re not satisfied with your bank’s response, you might consider moving your checking account to a new financial institution. You should question a prospective new bank or credit union thoroughly so you can avoid other unfair practices. See our Keep Your Balance. for guidance on what to ask a prospective new bank or credit union.

3. Tell us what happened. 

Your story helps us track banking practices so we know whether things are getting better or need more stamping out. We won’t share your story without your permission, but please consider giving it to us. If there is a public outcry about high-to-low reordering and other abusive overdraft practices, the banks are more likely to stop doing it. Some already have. Share Your Story.