Hold-out Bank Now Charging ATM Fee

First Chicago NBD, which made the news two years ago by becoming the first bank to charge a $3 fee for a teller transaction, has now decided to charge $1 fee for noncustomer ATM use at its 710 machines in Chicago. By August it will also assess a charge at the rest of its 700 machines in Michigan and Indiana for noncustomer use.

First Chicago had been a critic of the surcharging, saying a year ago that they had no plans to ever charge for the service. But competition, and plans to install another 500 machines, resulted in a change of heart.

In a similar vein, NationsBank Corp and First Union Corp now charge customers who use blank deposit tickets and counter checks. In most cases, the charge is $1 for each transaction where the number of the account is not MICR pre-printed.

Copyright © 1997 Bankers' Hotline. Originally appeared in Bankers' Hotline, Vol. 7, No. 7, 6/97