Also, most credit card companies contractually demand that merchants are not permitted to add an charge extra fee when accepting their card. This is largely ignored and difficult or impossible for a bank to enforce.
And, even if it is/was illegal to charge extra for accepting a credit card, all the merchant has to do is raise prices 3.75% and offer a "cash discount". Businesses have been doing that for many years to get around merchant contract restrictions. You've all seen cash / credit prices at gas stations, right?
I agree with those that only pay cash at restaurants. No restaurant has ever seen my credit card. Ditto at any business where the card leaves my possession.
Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123
Interesting. The credit card fee seems to violate this Florida law.
Update: Although this Florida law is still current, a Federal court ruled that it is unconstitutional. So, it may be legal to charge the fee. Go figure.
Fla. Stat. §501.0117
(1) A seller or lessor in a sales or lease transaction may not impose a surcharge on the buyer or lessee for electing to use a credit card in lieu of payment by cash, check, or similar means, if the seller or lessor accepts payment by credit card. A surcharge is any additional amount imposed at the time of a sale or lease transaction by the seller or lessor that increases the charge to the buyer or lessee for the privilege of using a credit card to make payment. Charges imposed pursuant to approved state or federal tariffs are not considered to be a surcharge, and charges made under such tariffs are exempt from this section. A convenience fee imposed upon a student or family paying tuition, fees, or other student account charges by credit card to a William L. Boyd, IV, Florida resident access grant eligible institution, as defined in §1009.89, or to a private school, as defined in §1002.01, is not considered to be a surcharge and is exempt from this section if the amount of the convenience fee does not exceed the total cost charged by the credit card company to the institution. The term “credit card” includes those cards for which unpaid balances are payable on demand. This section does not apply to the offering of a discount for the purpose of inducing payment by cash, check, or other means not involving the use of a credit card, if the discount is offered to all prospective customers.
(2) A person who violates the provisions of subsection (1) is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in §775.082 or §775.083.
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