- (Source:
NY Public Interest Research Group ) - Click to the
Table of Contents of the survey. - The number of ATMs that surcharge in New York has tripled in three years.
- In 2000, 93% of the ATMs surveyed surcharge, which is a significant increase from 1999 when 79%, 1998 when 45% and 1997 when 33% of the ATMs surveyed assessed surcharges.
- The average fee assessed by the ATMs surveyed that surcharge is $1.33 in 2000 - a higher amount than in 1999, 1998 and 1997.
- The average fee of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge was $1.33 in 2000 compared to $1.27 in 1999, $1.12 in 1998 and $1.05 in 1997. The increase from 1999 to 2000 was 5% - a rate considerably higher than the inflation rate.
- 2000 Statewide Results: 93% of the ATMs surveyed surcharge.
- Four years after the national ATM networks dropped their bans on surcharging by member banks, 93% of the ATMs surveyed assess surcharges. ATM owners surveyed that assess surcharges include Apple Bank, Charter One Bank, Chase Bank, Citibank, Cortland Savings Bank, Dime Savings Bank of NY, First National Bank, Fleet Bank, GreenPoint Bank, HSBC Bank, Key Bank, M&T Bank, North Fork Bank and Summit Bank. Non-Bank ATM Owners, Independent Service Operators (ISOs), surveyed that assess a surcharge include Access Cash, Automated Technology Machines, Kwikash, Money Tree Pay-O-Matic, National Bank Equipment, Nationwide Money, Now Cash and Quest.
- The average fee assessed by the ATMs surveyed that surcharge is $1.33.
- Most (59%) ATMs surveyed that surcharge assess a $1.50 fee. The average fee of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge is $1.33 and the range is 25¢ to $2.00. Over 90% of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge assess a fee of $1.00 or more. 15 ATMs surveyed that surcharge assess a $2.00 fee on consumers, which is arguably a "triple dip!" Most of those ATMs are owned by ISOs.
- Nearly half of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge are located on bank premises.
- When the bans on surcharging were dropped, ATM owners claimed that surcharges would be assessed as "user fees" to cover the costs of providing ATMs in "remote" locations, i.e., off-bank premises. 45% of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge in 2000 are located on bank premises, not at "remote" locations.
- ATMs surveyed that surcharge disclose the fee with a sign on the machine or a message on the screen.
- Most (72%) of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge include a sign on the machine that discloses the fee. However, surveyors noted that some signs were small, poorly placed and difficult to see. Also, some signs disclosed that the ATM owner would assess a surcharge, but failed to disclose the amount of the surcharge.
A significant amount, 28%, of the ATMs surveyed that surcharge disclose the fee on a message on the screen after consumers insert their cards, enter their pin numbers and begin their transactions.
