Rise In ATM Fees Slows Down

The Federal Reserve said in its annual report on ATM fees that surcharges for non-customer users rose by less than 3% last year. The average ATM surcharge increased just 4 cents last year to $1.36. That compares to a 7-cent rise in 2001 and no increase between 1999 and 2000. Between 1997 and 2002 the fees increased by 22.5%. The Fed also found that the average fee charged for bounced checks rose by $1 last year to $21.73, while the overdraft fee increased by $1.38 to $21.80. The Fed surveyed 620 banks and S&Ls for its annual survey.