Senate Fails to Protect Consumers from Double Dipping ATM Surcharges . Advocacy Groups tell White House Conference that Administration Policy is Placing Citizens At Risk . Leading privacy advocates and consumer groups have warned Americans that their privacy remains dangerously unprotected by industry and government. They have called for privacy laws and urge consumers to take steps to protect their personal data online and off. Statement of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group on the announced mergers of Bank of America with Nationsbank and First Chicago with Bank One .
Bigger banks means bigger fees.
Both PIRG and Federal Reserve bank fee studies have confirmed that bigger banks use monopoly muscle to charge their customers higher fees than small banks and credit unions do. National Survey Finds 4 in 5 Big Banks Charge Consumers Twice . The percentage of banks charging the controversial ATM surcharge has increased dramatically since April 1997, according to a new PIRG survey of banks across the country. The study also found that big banks charge more, and higher, surcharges than do small banks and credit unions. The report also found that many consumers still can't get through to bureaus to request their reports.