Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon consumers pay an average of $166 a year for what are called "free checking accounts," according to a new report conducted by the consumer group OSPIRG. Kristian Foden-Vencil reports.

The study looked at 64 accounts offered by 10 banks and eight credit unions.

It found that:  30 percent failed to provide a written fee schedule. That almost all charged 'out-of-network' fees at ATMs -- even when they were already receiving a share of the ATM fee.

And that customers were charged $10 for depositing a check that bounced -- even though they had no way of knowing how much is in someone else's account.

OSPIRG spokesman, Matt Wallace, says most consumers seem to have no idea what the various charges are for.

Matt Wallace: "Disclosures are complex. Fees are called different things by different financial institutions. Important account details are buried in the fine print. It's essentially impossible for a consumer to effectively comparison shop for basic banking services."

Linda Navaro with the Oregon Bankers Association says most people pay less than $3 a month in banking fees, and customers can change banks if they're unhappy.