For the Non-Customer

* Maybe someone out there can explain Washington Mutual’s new ATM surcharge policy to me [“Washington Mutual Drops ATM Surcharge,” Oct. 10].

If I understand this correctly, Washington Mutual will no longer charge non-customers for using its ATMs. However, their customers will not be so lucky. They will continue to be charged if they use another bank’s ATM.

In other words, not only has the bank decided to give non-customers preferential treatment, they have actually created a financial incentive for those non-customers to remain non-customers.

Maybe someone slipped something funny into the lattes up there in Seattle.

SCOTT MYRE

Thousand Oaks