Local rapscallions from the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) turned Bank of America ATMs into temporary political machines of activism overnight. Using non-adhesive stickers designed to look like BoA's ATM screens. In lieu of offering customers checking, savings, deposit, or withdraw options, the new menus "offered a list of everything BoA customers' money is being used for, including investment in coal-fired power plants, foreclosure on Americans' homes, bankrolling of climate change, and paying for fat executive bonuses." more ›

In light of the historic protests currently taking place over on Wall Street, along with the trend of banks -- most notably Bank of America -- beginning to charge monthly fees for debit card use, SFist decided to make what little money we have talk by becoming a local credit union customer yesterday. more ›

According to the Wall Street Journal, Wells Fargo has been ordered "pay more than $200 million to compensate customers who the judge said were improperly charged millions in overdraft fees." Today, Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court of Northern California, ruled that "the San Francisco bank improperly generated excessive overdraft fees for customers by posting transactions in an order that would generate more fees." (The banking industry culls in a whopping $40 billion each year in overdraft fees.) Wells Fargo plans on appealing the ruling. (Pro tip: Credit unions won't nickle and dime you nearly as much, nor make you wallow through as much red tape.) more ›

It was announced today that Washington Mutual , which was shoved under the thumb of federal regulators and sold to JPMorgan Chase in September, will close its Pleasanton campus and eliminate hundreds of San Francisco positions. In total, the former banking giant will eliminate 1,600 Bay Area jobs. The company plans to "cut 400 employees at its operations center at 201 Mission St. in San Francisco early next year," which would leave a paltry 60 workers there until the site shuts down permanently in late 2009. One employee at the SF office said, "It's a shock, but at least it's good and bad. At least we're part of a transition team until next year. It's better than being laid off right now." This comes on the heels of, well, scores of other layoffs hitting the Bay Area this month. (SFGate) more ›