Credit card debt could be reduced if Which?'s complaint is upheld
Credit card debt could be reduced if Which?'s complaint is upheld
- Thursday, 31 March 2011 Which? has issued a complaint to the Office of Fair Trading about unfair surcharges on credit cards, which may lead to
debt problems.
The consumer champion has stated that charging customers for processing payments made on debit or credit cards is unfair, as customers are often charged more than it costs the retailer to process the transaction.
Low-cost airlines and rail companies have been found to be the worst offenders as the Eurostar charges an extra £4 for purchases made on credit or debit cards.
A family of four buying a return flight with Ryanair will be charged an extra £40 if they use a credit card to make the purchase, the company found.
Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, said: "Low-cost airlines are some of the worst offenders, but excessive card surcharges are becoming ever more widespread, with everyone from cinemas and cabs to hotels and even some local authorities getting in on the act."
Sarah Pennells, editor of a women's finance website, recently advised consumers to pay off their debt with the highest rates of interest first.

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