Drummond Community Bank $700,000 Fee Class Action Settlement

Drummond Community Bank n/k/a Seacoast National Bank

Customers whom Drummond Community Bank charged certain overdraft or returned item fees between Nov. 24, 2018, and Feb. 11, 2023, may be eligible to claim a cash payment or debt forgiveness from a class action settlement.

Drummond Community Bank agreed to pay $700,000 to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it improperly charged specific overdraft fees and multiple returned item fees to its customers. In May 2022, Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida acquired Drummond Banking Co., the parent company of Drummond Community Bank.

Who is eligible for a Drummond Community Bank payout?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

Drummond Community Bank charged them one or more challenged fees between Nov. 24, 2018, and Feb. 11, 2023. These fees include:

$36 overdraft fees on one-time non-PIN based debit card transactions that were authorized when the class member's account had a positive available balance but posted when their account had a negative available balance (also called APSN fees)
Multiple $36 fees on the second and third presentments of declined check or automated clearing house transactions when their account had insufficient funds (also called retry fees)

Their account was a consumer account (not a business account).
They received a postcard or email notice about the settlement, indicating Drummond Community Bank’s records show it assessed at least one of these fees.

How much can class members receive?

Pro rata payment: Class members are eligible for a payment or account credit from the net settlement fund. The amount each person receives depends on the total amount of challenged fees they paid compared to the total all class members paid. Additionally, the settlement provides for the forgiveness and charge-off of any amounts owed on closed consumer accounts the bank charged a challenged fee during the class period.

The payment calculation is based on a pro rata formula:

(Total amount of challenged fees the class member paid during the class period / total amount of challenged fees all class members paid during the class period) × net settlement fund

The payment will not exceed the total amount of challenged fees the class member paid during the class period and will likely be less due to deductions for attorneys’ fees, costs and other expenses.

No action needed to receive payment

Class members do not need to file a claim or submit any paperwork to receive their settlement payment or account credit. The settlement administrator already has the necessary information from Drummond Community Bank’s records to identify eligible class members and calculate payment amounts. If the settlement is approved and becomes final, the settlement administrator will distribute payments and credits automatically.

However, class members whose address has changed since they held their account should contact the settlement administrator to update their information and ensure they receive payment.

Settlement administrator’s contact information: Lewis v. Drummond Community Bank Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 301130, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1130, 888-777-6381, admin@LewisBankFeesSettlement.com

$700,000 settlement fund breakdown

The $700,000 settlement fund covers:

Settlement administration costs: To be determined
Attorneys’ fees: Up to one-third of the value of the settlement (but no more than 50% of the settlement fund), subject to court approval
Service award to class representative: Up to $5,000
Payments to eligible class members: Remainder of the fund
Debt forgiveness on closed accounts: Valued at $700,000 (in addition to the cash fund)

Important dates

Exclusion (opt-out) deadline: Oct. 18, 2025
Final approval hearing: Nov. 17, 2025

When is the Lewis v. Drummond Community Bank payout date?

The settlement administrator will distribute payments after the court grants final approval and resolves any appeals.

Why is there a class action settlement?

The class action lawsuit alleged Drummond Community Bank improperly charged certain overdraft and returned item fees to its customers. Specifically, the claims centered on fees assessed when debit card transactions authorized with a positive balance and later posted with a negative balance and on multiple fees for the same declined check or automated clearing house transaction.

Drummond Community Bank denied any wrongdoing but agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of litigation.