Out of the frying pan, into... TD Bank.

I'm a crash-test-dummy of customer service research. All for you, my gentle readers. I do it all for you.

A few weeks ago, I drove across Florida to open a checking account at TD Bank, a trip I'd been looking forward to for at least 2 years. You can read all the details in the post directly preceding this one. Note the catchy title:

"TD Bank: Truly the Most Convenient Bank in America!"

I fawned over it like a freshman over the quarterback. Note this line in particular:

* My favorite? No stealth overdraft "protection" (and corresponding fee) on your debit card.

Well, guess what? The QB gave me a wedgie and left me swinging on my locker door for the entire World-Wide Internets to see.

I opened the account with $1,000. I asked the banker if they had overdraft "protection" for their debit cards. "No," she told me resolutely. "We don't do that here." I was in heaven.

But just to be sure - just because this is what I do at every bank I research - I kept using and using that card until it was rejected. $0 balance, right? Everyone happy?

...So imagine my surprise today when I learned my balance had gone to -$376.40. Yes, almost $400 below.

I called to find out the story behind the story, and here's what I learned: $26.40 in purchases below zero. $350 in fees.

Can you believe, I left Wachovia and drove cross-state over a measly $110 in fees? Man, am I a chump, huh?

Anyone know a good lawyer out there? I'm beginning to think that only a class-action lawsuit is going to end this mess. Certainly Congress hasn't shown any leadership.