Michelle Singletary at the Washington Post poses an interesting line of thought:
A spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase told Lieber it’s the law’s fault. The poor bank doesn’t want to raise fees but it must. And you know what? Many people will just take the fees they’re slapped with and never search for another bank, writes Lieber.
“There is risk for consumers who turn their backs on the banks and their new fees. But most people won’t, and the banks know this. Changing checking accounts is a pain. Convenience matters, too, for people who need to deposit cash or have other reasons to lean heavily on a branch.”
The [airline] fees keep coming because we just take it, just like we’re going take more fees and less service from the banks.
Do you think that’s true? If you’re a customer at a bank, is the thought of switching so dreadful that you’ll take whatever fees they throw at you?
Ron Lieber’s story at the New York Times says banks raise fees and blame the government, even though they’re making money hand over fist.
So you have bank customers who won’t switch, and banks who raise fees despite (or, as they say, because of) government regulation, and the prospect of “unbanked” people turning to those icky check cashing places. Doesn’t seem like a bunch of good options, does it?
What do you think? How much do banks have to raise fees before you consider switching, or fighting back somehow? Have you noticed higher or more fees where you bank? Let us know in the comments.