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Buyer beware

Published:Thursday | December 5, 2019 | 3:41 AM

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Many persons around the world have been offered the banking privilege of secured spending in the form a credit card. On the other hand, merchants are offered the privilege of using the bank’s point-of-sale machines, better known as credit card machines. Merchants pay a fee to use the machines, which must never be passed on to cardholders.

From time to time, we ignore the obvious or just do not pay attention to details. The point I am making here is that some merchants have been charging cardholders between three and five per cent for paying with their credit cards.

KEEP EVIDENCE

As a victim myself, I have kept my receipt as proof. Before I left that particular establishment, I advised the sales representative that that was wrong and that the practice needs to stop. I thought it was an isolated case, but I wanted to see if there were other entities that were doing the same thing, and decided to look further. I visited many other businesses and have noticed the trend.

My bone of contention is, why haven’t the banks removed the machines from these merchants, many of whom have posted signs?

I just want cardholders to be alert when using their credit cards.

Maybe it is something the Consumer Affairs Commission should investigate.

Devon King