US Bank - Ridiculous Fees Unhelpful Customer Service excessive overdraft fees Portland Oregon

While I do agree with you that these fees can be an astronomically high rate of interest if looked at that way ($2.50 coffee can run you ~$50.00 on the high end). BUT---

Banks give you a plethora of ways to ensure you have the funds available to use (online banking, 24 hour banking, thousands of atm's nation wide, hundreds of branches nationwide). If for some reason you are unable to maintain a proper balance in your account to cover your purchases, the bank will cover them for you for a period of time. This is a service provided to you by the bank. You may say its an unwanted service, but by sliding your card you are requesting it. If you don't want to pay over draft fees, then you might be interested in some of our other services.

We offer a variety of rates on Credit cards with no montly fees. So long as you keep your account current, and under the limit you can spend without worrying of overdrafting and pay your bill when you get around to it.

It's important to use the right tool to accomplish the right job. Doing use a tractor to drive to work, dont use a toothbrush to sweep the floor... and dont use a debit/checking account like a credit account.

But if those transactions for a dollar or two were check card transactions, they can't be rejected. See, when you have a check card, the money is calculated out of your availible balance immediately, but isn't physically removed until the bank gets a proof of purchase from the merchant (typically a receipt.) This may take a few days. In those few days, if something offsets the account (such as an incoming check or auto draft), there is no money when the check card merchants come looking for their money. Apparently, the 1 or 2 dollars were there when the card was swiped. This is not a bank error and frankly is up to the customer to look out for.

OK, I've worked for US Bank for 8 years. If you had the savings account connected as you say, the funds WOULD HAVE transfered over to your checking account, only costing you five dollars each item. I think you mean, you have a savings account with US Bank. The funds will not transfer automatically because not every customer wants it that way. You have to request the account to be connected, or apply for overdraft protection so that wont happen.

Transactions can bring you overdrawn, that is why every single bank has overdraft fees.
As for the unhelpful customer service, I can't say since I wasn't there but don't accuse representatives of being unhelpful if they are unable to waive your fees. We have policies we are required to adhere to and we are held accountable for the fees we do waive, meaning there had better be a good reason for them, such as a bank error. I do not want to lose my job to give you your fees back. There is a cost for loaning the bank's money to make your purchases go through.