U.S. Bank Reaches $55M Overdraft Fee Class Action Settlement

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U.S. Bank has agreed to pay $55 million to settle a class action lawsuit accusing the bank of charging improper overdraft fees. The U.S. Bank overdraft fee settlement is just the latest to be reached in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) involving more than 30 different banks nationwide, entitled In re Checking Account Overdraft Litigation.

The U.S. Bank overdraft fee class action settlement will resolve allegations the bank improperly manipulated its customers’ debit card and ATM transactions by posting them in highest-to-lowest dollar amount rather than in the actual order in which they were initiated and authorized. The illegal practice was allegedly performed in order to generate excess overdraft fee revenues.

“We are pleased to have achieved this result for U.S. Bank customers who were adversely affected by this anti-consumer practice,” said the Plaintiff’s coordinating counsel. He said he expects the proposed U.S. Bank overdraft fee class action settlement to be presented to the Court for preliminary approval within 90 days.

U.S. Bank is not the first bank involved in the MDL to settlement similar claims. In addition to a $410 million settlement with Bank of America approved last year, class action overdraft fee settlements with JPMorgan Chase Bank ($110 million), Citizens Bank ($137.5 million) and PNC Bank ($90 million) have been announced in recent months. At least nine other banks have settled.

Keep checking Top Class Actions for details on how to file a claim for the U.S. Bank Overdraft Fee Class Action Lawsuit Settlement when they become available.

The case is In re Checking Account Overdraft Litigation, Case No. 09-md-02036, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami).

UPDATE 1/2/14: There is no claim filing process for the U.S. Bank overdraft settlement. Class Members will automatically receive an account credit or check if the class action settlement is approved. The Settlement Administrator has posted the following update:

The Final Approval Hearing was held on December 18, 2013.  Following the presentations of counsel, the Court announced its intention to grant Final Approval to the Settlement, to award Service Awards to the twelve (12) named Plaintiffs, and to award Class Counsel attorneys’ fees equal to thirty percent (30%) of the Settlement Fund plus reimbursement of certain expenses.  The Court has not yet entered a Final Approval Order and Final Judgment.  This website (www.usbankoverdraftsettlement.com) will be updated again as soon as the Final Approval Order and Final Judgment are entered by the Court.

 

UPDATE: 2/20/14: The Settlement Administrator has posted the following update:On January 6, 2014, the Court granted Final Approval to the Settlement, and on January 15, 2014, the Court entered Final Judgment.  In the event there are no timely appeals, the Effective Date will be February 24, 2014, and distribution of awards to eligible Settlement Class Members by account credit for current customers or by mailed check for former customers will occur no later than June 24, 2014.  This site will continue to be updated as specific dates and details regarding distribution become available.