i imagine this is occurring in the US also!
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article2323398.ece3 March 2007 11:48
Now banks are over-charging customers for information about their over-charging
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Published: 03 March 2007
Banks have been breaking the Data Protection Act by levying excessive charges to customers who are seeking a refund of their bank charges.
In a move that has angered and bemused campaigners, institutions have been making illegal demands for extra money from people for statements that would enable them to demand a refund.
Instead of paying the £10 fee set out by the Data Protection Act for such documents, customers have been asked for payments of up to £48 for printouts of their details.
The banks have insisted - wrongly - that the legislation does not cover information that they have "archived".
On many occasions, they have also failed to provide information within the 40 days set by the legislation. It is another twist in the saga of the £7.2bn that banks are estimated to have overcharged customers, prompting a fierce campaign championed by The Independent for the money to be returned.