If you were charged excessive Capital One overdraft charges, you may have a legal claim.

A large part of banks’ income comes from overdraft fees (also known as overdraft protection fees) — fees that customers are charged when they spend more money than the amount available in a checking account. In recent years, the number of customers overdrafting their accounts has declined, and as a result, banks’ profits have been reduced.

To cope with this decrease, a number of banks have allegedly raised overdraft fees on consumers that do happen to overdraft their accounts. Depending on what overdraft service the customer opts into, these fees can be imposed on ATM withdraws, debit card balances, and purchases made with checks. Capital One is one institution that is suspected of imposing increased overdraft fees.

Additionally, consumers have claimed that banks have used other tactics to increase the number of overdraft fees they are able to charge consumers. Consumers have accused banks, including Capital One, of intentionally processing consumer transactions out of order in an attempt to maximize the number of overdraft fees they can charge.

For example, if a consumer had $99 in their account and made two purchases, one $35 purchase and then a $100 purchase, and if the transactions are processed in the order in which they are made, the consumer should only be charged an overdraft fee for the second charge, because it was at that point that their purchases exceeded the funds in their account. However, if a bank processed these transactions out of order, the consumer would be charged an overdraft fee on both the $100 purchase and the $35 purchase, thus letting the bank rake in more profits.

In theory, an overdraft fee, or overdraft protection fee, is a benefit for a consumer, because it allows them to make a purchase even if they have insufficient funds in their account, as opposed to having their purchase denied. However, these fees can be more of a burden than a help.

Overdraft fees can add up quickly. Reports show that the average overdraft fee is $35. Many consumers overdraft their accounts accidentally, thinking that they have enough money in their accounts, because their card has not been rejected. So, instead of helping a consumer manage their money, these fees can lead to consumers spending far more money than they have, and lead them to rack up fee after fee.

To protect consumers against this financially damaging situation, the federal government passed a law prohibiting banks and other financial institutions from charging customers overdraft fees unless the customer has actively opted-in to an overdraft protection program. Under this law, in cases in which a customer has not opted into an overdraft protection program, consumers should be simply unable to make a purchase if their purchase exceeds the funds in their account.

Consumers have filed numerous lawsuits claiming that various financial institutions have violated these federal regulations. Currently, lawyers are investigating consumers’ legal claims into Capital One overdraft charges. If you believe you were wrongfully charged Capital One overdraft charges or you believe that you were charged higher than normal Capital One overdraft charges, you may have a legal claim, and you could receive financial compensation.

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