Community Chat

[occasionalrain]

If there's going to be an upcharge for credit cards, I want to be forewarned. If it's an independent small business I'm agreeable to 3% but not a chain. 

[Greeneyedlady21]

Yes that 15 percent charge from that roofer should be reported to the state Attorney General's consumer protection division. That's outrageous.

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@Icegoddess.  I wonder if said seamstress is taking a nice tax deduction for "business expenses"?

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@Kachina624 I am not sure where you are going with this, don't understand what deduction or wht business expenses, but businesses have to pay a fee per transaction for the use of cards.  The fee is lower for debit cards, and some credit cards charge higher fees than others.

It used to be that charging extra for paying with a card was prohibitted, at least here in NY (it may have been a State law, I don't recall), but I don't think the law is around any more because businesses are pretty blatant about preferring cash to avoid the fee, meaning, they have posted signs.

If the vendor was trying to avoid paying taxes, they wouldn't have taken the check either.

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@deeva wrote:

I always carry cash. Not going back to writing checks, 
Too many ways a check can be compromised. 

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@deeva Cash can be lost or stolen and gone forever, but one can put a stop payment on a lost or stolen check.  Checks are safer.

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@Bookplate wrote:

Every restaurant (including coffee shops) I have visited in NYC the last couple of years has included a credit card upcharge.  Usually 3 to 4%.  My friends and I now grab some cash before eating out.

And when I send a contribution to a charity via credit card they always ask if I would like to ante up a few more bucks to cover this fee.  

Ironically, during the pandemic, when it was thought (erroneously) that COVID germs could be transferred on surfaces, many merchants refused to accept cash and insisted on cards.  I would not be surprised if banks raised their cc transaction fees when this happened.

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@Bookplate I have seen this in a few busineses, but definitely not EVERY restaurant.

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@SaveTheTurtles wrote:

This is nothing new. Many small businesses have had to pass the cost of accepting credit cards onto the consumer. I recently discovered that AT&T charges a $5 "convenience fee" for using a credit or debit card on their website for paying your bill. However, if you use your ach information or pay via your banks website there is no added charge. And they are a HUGE company, obviously.

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@SaveTheTurtles  That is odd.  I had AT&T cell service for years and always paid with a credit card.  No surcharge.  December last year switched to T-mobile.  They offered a $5 monthly discount for customers that use electronic checks.  It was in the offer posted in the internet that prompted me to switch.  I have never allowed that, but I bit the bullet and did it. 

[CalminHeart]

I always keep one check in my wallet but I never carry a checkbook.

Most retailers already include the cost of credit/debit fees in their prices. 

I've never run into a restaurant, retail store, or other place that charged a fee for using debit/credit although I've heard of it.

Banks and credit card companies will gouge and charge fees at the blink of an eye. As consumers, we need to stay up on what's going on in the financial world.

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

For several years a great many restaurants and diners and coffee shops in NYC have been adding the credit card fee, if you choose that payment method.  It's been a topic of discussion here many times in the recent past.

The additional fees generally range from 2%-4%.  I still use a card that gives me 4% cash back on food/restaurant charges.

[mrspotts]

A surcharge is not allowed by law in any state for debit cards even when the transaction is processed as credit. A surcharge is allowed when paying by credit card.

[They CallMe MRWILKES]

Yes, the debit card surcharge also struck me as odd, since it's illegal.

Credit Card, sure.  

If this was a debit card transaction,  the OP may want to alert the authorities.  Debit card fees are not lawful.  You're being ripped off.

"In general, debit card surcharging is illegal in the United States because of the Durbin Amendment of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was enacted in 2010. This amendment was created to protect consumers from hidden fees. Major card issuers, such as Visa and Mastercard, also prohibit surcharging debit card transactions."