Debit charge $1 per month

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

There's been confusion among new Wells Fargo customers over a new $1 charge to use their debit cards. It's not $1 per use -- it's $1 per month.

The charge is $1 a month whether the customer makes one or 100 purchases, said bank spokeswoman Kathy Shilkret. And, the charge is only with certain checking accounts. Other checking accounts offer free debit card use, she said.

In any case, the $1 fee doesn't begin for 60 days to give customers a chance to determine what kind of checking account they have under Wells Fargo and whether they want to make adjustments to their banking services or procedures.

Customers will be assigned the Wells accounts that are the most similar to their former First Interstate accounts, she explained.

Some individual merchants may tack on a nominal fee for using the debit card, but that will vary by merchant. Shilkret said she has only seen it imposed by ARCO for point-of-sale gasoline purchases using a debit card. Similar fees apply at some Southern Nevada convenience stores.

By Pauline Bell

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