21 Feb A store charged a fee to use a debit card. Isn’t that wrong?

Q. I’m sick of paying these credit card surcharges, so I started to use my debit card, but they are now charging a fee on that too. Can they do that?
— Shopper

A. Credit card surcharges are annoying.

Maybe they’re not too costly for small purchases, but for big ones? Ouch.

The surcharges are legal for credit cards — passing on the cost of processing the payments to the consumer — and last year, New Jersey passed a new law that prohibits businesses from tacking on extra fees where they would profit off the charges.

The key to your question is what happens to debit cards.

The surcharges are not legal on debit cards, but there’s a way businesses get around this.

Most debit cards have a Visa or Mastercard logo and can be processed as a credit card. That’s how they do it.

You can file a complaint with Consumer Affairs, but you’re not likely to have success because if the business is processing the transaction as credit, they’re not breaking the law.

You can file a complaint online or by calling (800) 242-5846.

Email your questions to .

This story was originally published in February 2024.

NJMoneyHelp.com presents certain general financial planning principles and advice, but should never be viewed as a substitute for obtaining advice from a personal professional advisor who understands your unique individual circumstances.