Bank of America, SunTrust and Wells Fargo recently cancelled their respective plans to charge debit cardholders a monthly usage fee.

Wells Fargo withdrew its new policy Oct. 28 when it ended a $3 fee pilot program in response to complaints from dissatisfied customers.  SunTrust and Bank of America followed suit, cancelling their similar plans Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.  SunTrust had planned to implement a $7 fee, while Bank of America had been charging a $5 monthly fee for everyday checking accounts since June.  All collected fees will be refunded.

Wells Fargo Bethesda store manager Moustapha B. Kone said his bank decided against charging a debit usage fee based on customer response from its pilot program and from the response to other banks’ plans.

“It wasn’t the right thing to do,” Kone said.  “Bank of America tried, and people really were not happy, so all the big banks started dropping their fee plans.”

The debit card fees were intended to offset bank revenue losses caused by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, which reduced the rate a bank can charge retailers when someone makes a purchase using a credit or debit card.

Senior Katie Wollmer said she is happy that her bank, Bank of America, cancelled its usage fee plan.

“If they’re just charging extra, that’s just not fair,” she said.  “I probably would have talked to my parents about changing banks.”