Banks' 'courtesy' loans at soaring rates irk consumers - USATODAY.com

Banks' 'courtesy' loans at soaring rates irk consumers - USATODAY.com: "Even as regulators crack down on abusive mortgage and credit card practices, another type of lending threatens to mire consumers in a credit trap.

It's called 'courtesy overdraft' and has long been used by banks to automatically pay transactions that account holders don't have the money to cover — and then charge them a steep fee. For years, banks have made it easier for customers to overdraw their checking accounts, aided by a cottage industry of consultants who make big money by helping to wring fees out of consumers, a USA TODAY analysis finds."