Banks are marketing either a program where overdraft transactions are covered for a fee or one that allows you to link a checking account to a savings account, line of credit or credit card so if you overdraw funds are transferred in as needed, says Greg McBride, a senior financial analyst at Bankrate.com.

WSJ: Say No to Overdraft Pitches

Therefore, it's wise to avoid using debit cards, which are linked to your checking account, at convenience or other stores where there's a high employee turnover because you don't know how carefully the workers have been screened.

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