CHARTER ONE BANK They Charge Unjustified extortionate fees. They are ripping us off. Evanston, Illinois

Charter one is constantly applying overdraft fees to our account when we haven't gone overdrawn. In the last two days we've encountered $312 worth of fees. I'm so outraged that they keep taking our money like this. Their online statements are never clear about what is available. We have put cash into this account and tried to make a purchase two days later and the money has been "held" until we make some purchases and for each purchase they charge is $37. I'm not adverse to overdraft fees if I know exactly what they apply to and are clear. But these people are charging us through the nose at the end of every month when we are trying to do our best to stay afloat. They are not willing to budge on any of these unjustified fee's and if you look at our statement, there are two fee's for $156 each in the last two days and I don't even know what these apply to because we weren't overdrawn until they applied those fees. I'm so horrified. Can these people legally rip off innocent people like this? I've tried to copy our statement below to show that we weren't overdrawn until they took the fees. I'm not sure if it's clear because it's all squashed up in this format. But we didn't go overdrawn until they took our money. Can they apply fee's when in the dates leading up to those fee's our statement clearly shows that we were not overdrawn? Surely with all the complaints against them, there could be a case made to get our money back. They are robbing their customers. We admit that we are struggling anyway in these economic times and these people are truly messing us up. Particularly when we have a baby on the way. I've emailed them with no response. My husband spoke to three different people on the phone yesterday and they have no power to help him. We've been told that one of the managers will call him back, but we are not holding our breath. I've never encountered such a lack of professionalism. I suck it up and incur the fee's when they are justified, but this is not justified. Should we take it to a small claims court?

02/02/2010      Insufficient Funds Fee    eNotice        $156.00             $3.04   
02/02/2010      Credit Memo                    $6.10      $159.04   
     Memo: GREEN$ENSE CASH
02/01/2010      POS Debit             $14.68             $152.94   
     Memo: #03455 JEWEL CHICAGO IL 4326
02/01/2010      POS Debit             $15.01             $167.62   
     Memo: EXXONMOBIL NAPERVIL IL 4318
02/01/2010      DBT Purchase             $24.80             $182.63   
     Memo: PARKWAY DRUGS - GLGLENCO IL 4318
02/01/2010      DBT Purchase             $95.00             $207.43   
     Memo: EVANSTON ATHLETIC 847-8666190 IL 4318
02/01/2010      Insufficient Funds Fee    eNotice        $156.00             $302.43   
02/01/2010      Deposit                    $150.00      $458.43   
02/01/2010      Deposit                    $250.00      $308.43   
01/29/2010      DBT Purchase             $6.00             $58.43   
     Memo: UNIVERSITY OF CHICCHICAGO IL 4318
01/29/2010      DBT Purchase             $11.86             $64.43   
     Memo: U CHIC HOS AUBONPACHICAGO IL 4326
01/29/2010      POS Debit             $28.00             $76.29   
     Memo: Dominicks Store 11EVANSTON IL 4326
01/29/2010      POS Debit             $54.64             $104.29   
     Memo: Dominicks Store 11EVANSTON IL 4326
01/28/2010      POS Debit             $22.84             $158.93   
     Memo: CVS 03901 Evanson IL 4318
01/28/2010      POS Debit             $37.06             $181.77   
     Memo: CVS 03901 Evanson IL 4318
01/28/2010      Check      1231       $40.80             $218.83   
01/28/2010      DBT Purchase             $47.00             $259.63   
     Memo: BLACK HAIR SKIN 60CHICAGO IL 4326
01/28/2010      Deposit                    $125.00      $306.63   
01/27/2010      DBT Purchase             $1.75             $181.63   
     Memo: CHICAGO PARKING MECHICAGO IL 4326
01/27/2010      DBT Purchase             $11.00             $183.38   
     Memo: UNIVERSITY OF CHICCHICAGO IL 4326
01/26/2010      Check      1230       $30.00             $194.38   
01/26/2010      DBT Purchase             $36.34             $224.38   
     Memo: L2G*PETS BEST INS 1.877.PETSBESID 4318
01/25/2010      POS Debit             $35.12             $260.72   
     Memo: AGI*RENTER INS EXC800-370-1990 FL 4318
01/25/2010      POS Debit             $75.47             $295.84   
     Memo: WHOLE FOODS MA Evanston IL 4326
01/25/2010      ATM Cash             $160.00             $371.31   
     Memo: 525 MAIN STREET EVANSTON IL 4326
01/22/2010      DBT Purchase             $30.20             $531.31   
     Memo: SHELL OIL 21226220EVANSTON IL 4318
01/22/2010      Check      5022       $1,360.00             $561.51   
01/21/2010      DBT Purchase             $31.76             $1,921.51   
     Memo: TOMMY NEVINS PUB EEVANSTON IL 4318
01/20/2010      DBT Purchase             $1.75             $1,953.27   
     Memo: CHICAGO PARKING MECHICAGO IL 4326
01/20/2010      ATM Cash             $60.00             $1,955.02   
     Memo: 525 MAIN STREET EVANSTON IL 4318
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $7.13             $2,015.02   
     Memo: BROTHERS K COFFEEHEVANSTON IL 4318
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $18.68             $2,022.15   
     Memo: BUY BUY BABY #3017SCHAUMBURG IL 4326
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $22.70             $2,040.83   
     Memo: DAVIS ST CLEANERS EVANSTONE IL 4318
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $24.17             $2,063.53   
     Memo: FUDDRUCKERS #126 SCHAUMBURG IL 4318
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $24.41             $2,087.70   
     Memo: EGG 'EM ON CLARKE'EVANSTON IL 4318
01/19/2010      DBT Purchase             $31.62             $2,112.11   
     Memo: LUCKY PLATTER EVANSTON IL 4318
01/19/2010      POS Debit             $46.56             $2,143.73   
     Memo: #03428 JEWEL EVANSTON IL 4318
01/19/2010      POS Debit             $125.89             $2,190.29   
     Memo: Dominicks Store 1CHICAGO IL 4326
01/15/2010      Check      1210       $550.00             $2,316.18   
01/14/2010      DBT Purchase             $2.75             $2,866.18   
     Memo: BURGER KING #1664 EVANSTON IL 4318
01/14/2010      DBT Purchase             $5.59             $2,868.93   
     Memo: STARBUCKS USA 0000LAKE FOREST IL 4318
01/14/2010      DBT Purchase             $62.63             $2,874.52   
     Memo: EVANSTON 1ST LIQUOEVANSTON IL 4318
01/13/2010      DBT Purchase             $1.75             $2,937.15   
     Memo: CHICAGO PARKING MECHICAGO IL 4326
01/13/2010      DBT Purchase             $2.15             $2,938.90   
     Memo: STARBUCKS USA 0002EVANSTON IL 4318
01/13/2010      POS Debit             $27.02             $2,941.05   
     Memo: #03428 JEWEL EVANSTON IL 4318
01/13/2010      DBT Purchase             $37.95             $2,968.07   
     Memo: EVANSTON IL PARKIN888-2329326 IL 4318
01/13/2010      ATM Cash             $50.00             $3,006.02   
     Memo: 727 NORTH BANK LANLAKE FOREST IL 4318
01/13/2010      Foreign ATM or POS Fee             $2.00             $3,056.02   
     Memo: ATM FEE
01/12/2010      POS Debit             $15.91             $3,058.02   
     Memo: BARNESNOBLE Evanston IL 4326
01/12/2010      POS Debit             $23.42             $3,073.93   
     Memo: GAP USA Evanston IL 4326