Open a checking account today and you'll be handed a plastic card that lets you withdraw cash from ATM machines or make purchases by transferring money from your account to a merchant's. You'll be aware of these features because you've probably been using an ATM card for years. What you may not realize is that, in most cases, the bank has quietly signed you up for overdraft protection that kicks in automatically if you spend more than you have in your account. And you may not find out about this feature until you rack up hefty fees.

Read the full article on the Los Angeles Times website.