The Question
Dear Shaun,
Recently I used an ATM on campus to get some fast cash. My financial institution is Fleet and the ATM that I used was Bank of New Hampshire. Looking at my account later on, I was not surprised to see a $1.50 bank charge, because I accepted the charge when I was at the ATM. However, there was a SECOND $1.50 charge. Why am I getting charged TWICE for the same thing, and why does Bank of New Hampshire stink? Please advise.
Question by Jill — 9/21/2004 @ 9:49 pm
The Answer
Ahh yes, the old “double charge†scam. It’s terribly unfair – a sucker punch to the wallet.
It turns out that not only does Bank of New Hampshire (and any bank that charges non-customers for ATM usage) feel the need to snag $1.50 from you as fee for the use of its ATM technology, but Fleet is also hurt by your unwillingness to drive the required miles to find a machine that THEY own. So they also, in a fit of jealous rage, will charge you $1.50 for your betrayal.
Why does Bank of New Hampshire stink, you ask? I can’t say for sure, but my guess would be that it doesn’t have a cool enough name. I mean, look at the competition: “Bank of America†covers a whole continent with its name (maybe 2!), “Fleet†conjures up images of a bunch of warships, or a really fast runner, “Bank North†takes an entire hemisphere on, “Citizens Bank†is the bank of the PEOPLE…I’d feel inferior too. And that would make me petty and spiteful, and that would make me stink. Like Bank of New Hampshire.
Fleet’s warships (and, by extension, their ATMs) were recently swallowed up by Bank of America.