Is it legal to charge a fee for paying by card? | Condusef responds

The National Commission for the Protection and Defense of Financial Services Users (Condusef) has emphasized that the charging additional fees for the use of credit or debit cards at points of sale is not permitted in Mexico, although it is observed that some businesses persist in this practice.

Although contracts with point-of-sale (POS) terminal providers stipulate that any associated costs must be absorbed by merchants, reality shows that Between 3% and 5% of these charges are passed on to the consumer.increasing the total cost of purchases and services.

This charge not only represents a increase in the final price for the consumerbut also conflicts with the government’s efforts to promote electronic payments as a safe and efficient option.

According to Condusef, if 2% of all daily transactions include this type of commissioncould affect the economic interests of some 73 thousand users daily, which translates into more than two million 261 thousand pesos affected every day.

What to do in the event of this illegal charge?

Faced with this situation, Condusef recommends that users who face this type of improper charges file complaints directly with financial institutions that provide POS services, or to Condusef itself.

Complaints must include specific details of the establishment where the improper charge was made so that appropriate measures can be taken, such as possible cancellation of the POS service to the offending merchant.

The institution also stresses that, despite the costs associated with the use of point-of-sale terminalsthe benefits for businesses are significant.

These include a increase in sales leveldue to the growing preference of consumers for card payments, and a reduction in the costs and risks associated with handling cash.

Additionally, Security is a critical factor; Card payments reduce the amount of cash on premises, minimising the risk of theft and other security incidents.

In case you need to file a complaint, the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco) offers channels such as: email [email protected] and telephone numbers available (55 5568 8722 from Mexico City and the metropolitan area, or 800 4688722 from within the Republic) to address these cases, ensuring that consumer rights are protected at all times.