Making Cents: Watch Out for ATMs That Bite

ATM operators nationwide can now charge a fee to use machines outside a customer’s usual ank system. (Nevada and 14 other states had already lifted restrictions.) Users can now be assessed two fees, one by their own bank and the other by the bank operating the ATM. The extra fee could be $1 to $3. Banks said they want the option of levying the high charges to cover the cost of operating ATMs in expensive-to-serve areas such as in hotels, casinos and rest stops. The regulations allowing the new fee went into effect last week.