In situations where consumers are using their debit card at merchants to pay for items, banks are charging a "regional pin purchase fee".

Consumers that complain are able to still use their credit card to avoid the fee, but face interest that acrues immediately if there's a previous balance on the card.

Debit cards also are harder to protect yourself from fraud AND in protecting you in purchases. There are more consumer protection laws that keep you protected from a merchant that cheats you when you give them BORROWED money versus giving them CASH money.