Some gas stations, convenience stores and other merchants are illegally charging fees for debit card users, as well as putting minimum purchase amounts on customers who use the bank cards, according to a new report. A January settlement of a class-action lawsuit allowed merchants to start adding “checkout fees” on customers who pay with credit cards, but it exempted debit card users. Despite this, some merchants still hit debit card users, GoBankingRates.com reports.
So what should you do if you’ve been charged an illegal fee? If you live in one of those states that outlaw credit card processing fees, Visa encourages you to report the retailer to your state attorney general’s office.
Consumers hit with minimum purchases or surcharges on debit cards should also call the customer service number on the back of their cards, the report says. That’s because banks that issue the cards will report violations to Visa or MasterCard.