WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — WPTV is seeking answers to questions about fees charged to customers when they use debit cards.
Thaddeus Clark of Lantana brought this to our attention by contacting WPTV through our Let's Hear It email address (LetsHearIt@wptv.com).
"Some restaurants try to charge a fee for using a debit card; sometimes stores call it an operation fee," his email to WPTV stated.
WATCH BELOW: Is it legal to charge fees for using debit cards?
It's something he says is not allowed under federal law, and it turns out he is right.
"This fee for the debit card, I said, 'That's illegal, aren’t you aware of that?'" Clark says he told a restaurant worker recently. "I pull my phone out, Google it and show it to them that it's illegal in every state in the United States."
Fees attached to credit card purchases are now quite common and are allowed by law.
Those fees generally average around 2%, according to Ted Rossman of Bankrate.
"Technically, debit card surcharges are not allowed, but that does not stop some merchants from adding them; either they don't know any better or look the other way," Rossman said.
Rossman said the fees are sometimes a way for small businesses to contend with the fees from credit card companies and banks, and the law can sometimes enter a legal gray area if they offer "discounts" for paying in cash.
"People don't like feeling nickel-and-dimed," Rossman said.
As for what consumers can do, many times it's helpful to question the bill before paying it, as Clark said he did.
"I said, 'I don’t care what you do or how you fix it. I'm not paying this price,' so they went and came back with a new bill, and I paid the bill and left," Clark said.
Other options can involve reporting the fee to your bank or credit card provider, or avoiding any questions and paying with cash.
We want to be your voice and help you find solutions.
While we hold our monthly Let's Hear It meet-ups, we know many are not able to attend, but we still want to hear from you and start taking action to get you answers. You can e-mail us at LetsHearIt@wptv.com.
