Bank of America raises ATM fees by 50% - everyone else will soon follow, I'm sure...

Using the same lame excuse (I mean explanation) I've heard other thieves (I mean, bank executives) use here in Canada, Bank of America (BoA) spokeswoman Betty Riess says that BoA wants to make sure that its ATM system is convenient and really awesome for its customers.

Or something to that effect - I'm taking liberties here. But so are they.

The fee is going up from $2 per transaction to $3 - a 50% increase... just like that. The worst of it? There's not one thing the poor American saps can do about it and every other major bank will follow suit within weeks, I am sure. Once the "BoA Constrictor" takes the lead, why wouldn't everyone else? Doesn't everyone want to increase an income stream or six by 50% OVERNIGHT?!

Wait - that's not the worst of it... Canadian banks will recognize this as an opportunity to seize the day and raise their fees from the paltry sum they currently charge - an average of $1.50. Hey, TD Canada Trust, Bank of Montreal (or BMO as they call it these days), Royal Bank of Canada (or RBC as they call it these days) and ScotiaBank, and..., and..., and...

Bunch of crooks.

So when will the insanity end? Never, I'm afraid. Even if we do manage to get this cashless society we all dream of, some Ferengi-like nation or mega-corporation will dream up some new way of screwing people senseless.

After all, that's what today's bank shareholders want, right? What happened to the customers? Wasn't there a time when they were number one?

Ahhh... the good old days.